Letters in Organic Chemistry - Volume 4, Issue 1, 2007

A real continuous-flow process for synthesis of alkyl bromides or cyanides was demonstrated by nucleophilic substitution reactions of tosylates with bromide and/or cyanide conducted in ionic liquid 1- ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tosylate. The process provides higher yields and shorter reaction time and is easily upgraded to large scale.

A clean and highly selective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides with 35% hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by Montmorillonite K10 in methanol is described. A series of structurally different sulfides were oxidized selectively at room temperature in excellent yields. This reaction is very simple and proceeds without over-oxidation under mild condition, and shows many advantages over the existing methodologies. Using this procedure, sulfides bearing functional groups such as hydroxyl, methoxy, amino, nitrile, aldehyde, and olefinic double bond remained intact.