Cerium-oxo clusters for photocatalytic aerobic oxygenation of sulfides to sulfoxides†
Abstract
Two cerium-oxo clusters (COCs) 1 and 2 are constructed by self-assembly of cerium ions and carboxylate ligands. Both clusters feature spherical structures resembling the key moiety of fluorite phase CeO2, and 1 exhibits high activity and selectivity for the photocatalytic aerobic oxygenation of sulfides to sulfoxides based on the switch between the Ce(IV/III) redox couple.