Sulfoxide

A sulfoxide is a molecule that has a sulfur atom bonded to two carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. It comes from oxidising thioethers, without going all the way to the sulfone. Like many molecules containing sulfur, sulfoxide can sometimes smell a lot.

Sulfoxides can be written with the general formula R–S(=O)–R'. Sulfur has a double bond with the oxygen, and single bonds with the carbons. That leaves a lone pair on the atom. This gives it trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry. It also means that the sulfur can be a chiral centre. Sulfoxides are used as good ligands for transition metals.^[source?]

The simplest sulfoxide is dimethyl sulfoxide, SO(CH₃)₂. It is also called DMSO. It is used as a solvent for many reactions, especially in biochemistry.^[source?]

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1. ↑ IUPAC, Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. (the "Gold Book") (2025). Online version: (2006–) "sulfoxides". doi:10.1351/goldbook.S06124