Fe(salan)-Catalyzed Asymmetric Oxidation of Sulfides with Hydrogen Peroxide in Water

A new chiral Fe(salan) complex was synthesized, and it was found to serve as an efficient catalyst for asymmetric oxidation of sulfides using hydrogen peroxide in water without surfactant. Not only alkyl aryl sulfides but also various methyl alkyl sulfides were oxidized to the corresponding sulfoxides with high enantioselectivities up to 96% ee. It should be noted that the turnover number of complex 4 amounts to 8000.