Aerobic oxygenation of organic sulfides using diruthenium activators

Diruthenium compounds supported by carboxylate or mixed carboxylate/carbonate bridging ligands were found to be active catalysts for aerobic oxygenation of organic sulfides. Ru2(OAc)3(CO3) (A), Ru2(O2CCF3)3(CO3) (B) and Ru2(OAc)4Cl (C) promote the conversion of organic sulfide to sulfoxide, and subsequently sulfone in an oxygen atmosphere at ca. 90 °C. The order of catalytic activity is A > B ≫ C. Catalytic reactions are operative in a number of 1:1 co-solvent–H2O combinations, and the highest reactivity was found in aqueous media.