Catalytic converter: A (salen)iron(III) complex (salen* = asymmetric bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine ligand) can be used as a catalyst system for the asymmetric oxidation of aryl sulfides by iodosylbenzene (see scheme). An iodosylbenzene(salen)iron(III) species has been identified as the active intermediate by EPR and NMR spectroscopy. R = aryl, R′ = alkyl.