Patent ID: 7105681

Claim:
A process for preparing a sulfinyl derivative of formula 2 in which R 1 represents hydrogen, a (C 1 –C 4 )-alkyl or a (C 1 –C 4 )-alkoxy group, R 2 represents hydrogen or a (C 1 –C 4 )-alkyl group, R 3 represents a (C 1 –C 4 )-alkyl group, a fluorinated (C 1 –C 4 )-alkyl group or a (C 1 –C 4 )-alkoxy-(C 1 –C 4 )-alkyl group, R 4 represents hydrogen or a (C 1 –C 4 )-alkyl group, and n represents an integer selected between 0 and 1; which comprises the step of oxidizing a sulfide compound of formula 1 in which R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and n have the above meanings, with hydrogen peroxide as oxidizing agent in the presence of a rhenium compound as catalyst, wherein said catalyst is used in an amount from 0.01 to 0.5 moles % with respect to the sulfide 1 and the temperature of the oxidation reaction is kept from 0° C. to room temperature.