Heptamolybdate: a highly active sulfide oxygenation catalyst

The sulfide oxygenation activities of both heptamolybdate ([Mo7O24]6-, [1]6-) and its peroxo adduct [Mo7O22(O2)2]6- ([2]6-) were examined in this contribution. [Mo7O22(O2)2]6- was prepared in a yield of 65% from (NH4)6[Mo7O24] (1a) upon treatment of 10 equiv. of H2O2 and structurally identified through single crystal X-ray diffraction study. (nBu4N)6[Mo7O22(O2)2] (2b) is an efficient catalyst for the sequential oxygenation of methyl phenyl sulfide (MPS) by H2O2 to the corresponding sulfoxide and subsequently sulfone with a 100% utility of H2O2. Surprisingly, (nBu4N)6[Mo7O24] (1b) is a significantly faster catalyst than 2b for MPS oxygenation under identical conditions. The pseudo-first order kcat constants from initial rate kinetics are 54 M-1 s-1 and 19 M-1 s-1 for 1b and 2b, respectively. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) investigation of 1b under the catalytic reaction conditions revealed that [Mo2O11]2- is likely the main active species in sulfide oxygenation by H2O2.