An efficient and versatile procedure has been introduced for the preparation of copper supported on functionalized mesoporous silica (MCM-41) containing chelating Schiff base salen (the structure of this functionalized silica complex was studied by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermo gravimetric analysis and N2 adsorption and desorption), which has been applied as catalyst for the conversion of various sulfides into sulfoxides with aqueous hydrogen peroxide. Also this heterogeneous catalyst can be recovered easily and reused many times for the oxidation of sulfides without significant loss of activity and selectivity
