Chemoselective and efficient oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides mediated by trimethylsilyl chloride and superoxide via a trimethylsilylperoxy radical

Chemoselective and efficient oxidation of various sulfides were mediated by Me3SiCl and KO2 in dry acetonitrile at −15°C to afford corresponding sulfoxides in excellent yields without any interference in the presence of ketone, olefin, ether and hydroxyl functionalities and without further oxidation to the sulfones. A trimethylsilylperoxy radical generated in situ from this new process is proposed.