Various types of sulfides are chemoselectively oxidized to the corresponding sulfoxides by treatment of Al(NO(3))(3).9H(2)O, silica sulfuric acid and a catalytic amount of NaBr in the presence of wet SiO(2) (50% w/w) in CH(2)Cl(2) at room temperature. The catalytic oxidation procedure is very simple and the products are easily isolated in good yields.
