sulfoxidation

{{Short description|Type of chemical reactions involving sulfur oxides}}

in chemistry, sulfoxidation refers to two distinct reactions.

In one meaning, sulfoxidation refers to the reaction of alkanes with a mixture of sulfur dioxide and oxygen. This reaction is employed industrially to produce alkyl sulfonic acids, which are used as surfactants. The reaction requires UV-radiation.{{Ullmann |doi=10.1002/14356007.a25_503|title=Sulfonic Acids, Aliphatic |year=2000 |last1=Kosswig |first1=Kurt |isbn=3527306730 }}

:{{chem2 | RH + SO2 + ½ O2 -> RSO3H }}

The reaction favors secondary positions in accord with its free-radical mechanism. Mixtures are produced. Semiconductor-sensitized variants have been reported.{{cite journal |doi=10.1002/anie.200800326|title=Semiconductor-Photocatalyzed Sulfoxidation of Alkanes |year=2008 |last1=Parrino |first1=Francesco |last2=Ramakrishnan |first2=Ayyappan |last3=Kisch |first3=Horst |journal=Angewandte Chemie International Edition |volume=47 |issue=37 |pages=7107–7109 |pmid=18683178 }}

Sulfoxidation can also refer to the oxidation of a thioether to a sulfoxide.

:{{chem2 | R2S + O -> R2SO }}

A typical source of oxygen is hydrogen peroxide.{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.ccr.2013.05.010|title=Metal-Catalyzed Asymmetric Sulfoxidation, Epoxidation and Hydroxylation by Hydrogen Peroxide |year=2013 |last1=Srour |first1=Hassan |last2=Le Maux |first2=Paul |last3=Chevance |first3=Soizic |last4=Simonneaux |first4=Gérard |journal=Coordination Chemistry Reviews |volume=257 |issue=21–22 |pages=3030–3050 |url=https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00865625/file/CCR_2_Simonneaux-accepted.pdf }}