Dinitrogen tetroxide complexes of iron(III) and copper(II) nitrates as new versatile reagents for organic synthesis. Efficient and selective oxidation of sulfides to their corresponding sulfoxides under mild conditions.
Fe(NO3)(3) . 1.5 N2O4 and Cu(NO3)(2) . N2O4 are new, stable, and highly efficient reagents for the quantitative transformation of sulfides to sulfoxides in dichloromethane or in the absence of solvent at room temperature. Cu(NO3)(2) . N2O4 is highly selective for the oxidation of aryl sulfides.