Oxidation of refractory sulfur-containing compounds with molecular oxygen catalyzed by vanadoperiodate

[C 8 H 17 N(CH 3 ) 3 ] 3 HIV 9 O 28 has been first synthesized by a simple, one-pot stoichiometric reaction, which shows high catalytic activity in oxidation of refractory sulfur-containing compounds to their corresponding sulfones using molecular oxygen under mild reaction conditions.