New perspective to Keplerate polyoxomolybdates: Green oxidation of sulfides with hydrogen peroxide in water

The catalytic activity of three Keplerate polyoxometalates Mo72M30 (M = V, Cr, Fe) was examined in the H2O2-based oxidation of different sulfides in water. Various sulfides were successfully converted into the corresponding sulfones under mild reaction conditions with high to excellent yields. The recyclability of Keplerate POM catalysts did not show a significant loss of catalytic activity up to five times. The use of water and hydrogen peroxide as green solvent and oxidant makes these reactions interesting from environmental and economic points of view. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.