Oxidation of refractory sulfur-containing compounds with molecular oxygen catalyzed by vanadoperiodate

A new vanadoperiodate [HIV9O28](3-) has been synthesized by a simple, one-pot stoichiometric reaction of HIO4 center dot 2H(2)O with NaVO3 in aqueous solution and then isolated as [C8H17N(CH3)(3)](3)HIV9O28 by cation exchange. We have found that [C8H17N(CH3)(3)](3)HIV9O28 shows high catalytic activity in the oxidation of refractory sulfur-containing compounds to their corresponding sulfones using molecular oxygen as oxidant under mild reaction conditions.