Bifunctional ionic liquid catalyst containing sulfoacid group and hexafluorotitanate for room temperature sulfoxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides using hydrogen peroxide

A bifunctional ionic liquid (IL), bis-[N-(propyl-1-sulfoacid)-pyridinium] hexafluorotitanate (1), was synthesized and proved to be an efficient and recyclable catalyst for room temperature sulfoxidation of sulfides using H ₂O ₂ as the oxidant. The synergetic catalysis derived from the incorporated functional moieties in the IL structure was embodied in 1. The UV-vis and Raman spectra indicated that the remarkable catalytic performance of 1 was related to the easy generation and regeneration of the active peroxo-Ti species.