A simple method for the preparation of N-sulfonylsulfilimines from sulfides

While excellent methods exist for the oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides R1R2S-->R1R2SO, the azaversion of this atom transfer redox process, i.e., R1R2S-->R1R2S=N-SO2R3, has been less reliable. In sulfilimine synthesis, sulfoxide has been an inevitable byproduct in all cases to date, and the yields of sulfilimine have varied widely. A nearly ideal procedure for the sulfide to sulfonyl sulfilimine transformation is described. Almost quantitative yields are achieved from a diverse set of sulfides and a broad range of the readily available sulfonyl nitrenoid sources known as chloramine salts (R3SO2NClNa), essentially by simply stirring them together in acetonitrile.