Chemo and homoselective catalytic oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides with supported nitric acid on silica gel and poly vinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) catalyzed by KBr and/or NaBr

A simple, catalytic and highly chemo and homoselective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides using supported HNO3 on silica gel and poly vinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) in the presence of a catalytic amount of KBr or NaBr was described. A good range of sulfides was selectively oxidized at room temperature in good to excellent yields. The reaction proceeds without any over-oxidation to sulfones under mild conditions.