What is it about?
Selective oxidation of sulfides to sulfones is important for chemical synthesis and environmental applications. In this work, we present a two-catalyst system operating in a green, biphasic mixture of supercritical carbon dioxide and water. Hydrogen peroxide, a clean oxidant, is generated directly from hydrogen and oxygen using palladium nanoparticles. This in situ H₂O₂ then drives the selective oxidation of thioanisole to methyl phenyl sulfone over titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The process benefits from the safe handling of hydrogen/oxygen mixtures, avoids organic solvents, and offers high selectivity under optimized temperature and pressure conditions.
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Why is it important?
This work demonstrates a new strategy for sustainable chemical synthesis using only green solvents and clean oxidants. It showcases how compartmentalized catalysis—where two different catalysts handle different steps—can be integrated in one-pot processes for higher efficiency and selectivity. It is a significant step toward greener oxidation technologies, with potential applications in fine chemical production, environmental remediation, and energy-efficient desulfurization.
Perspectives
Writing and contributing to this article was exciting because it combined my interest in green chemistry with cutting-edge catalysis. It was fascinating to see how two types of nanoparticles could cooperate so effectively under environmentally friendly conditions. I hope this work inspires new ways of designing safe, efficient, and sustainable oxidation processes.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Ernst Müller
Ruhr-Universitat Bochum
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Nanoparticle catalysed oxidation of sulfides to sulfones by in situ generated H2O2 in supercritical carbon dioxide/water biphasic medium, Chemical Communications, January 2010, Royal Society of Chemistry,
DOI: 10.1039/c0cc01443e.
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