A series of aryl substituted phenyl and benzyl methyl sulphides has been oxidized to the corresponding sulphoxides by Mortierellaisabellina NRRL 1757. The oxygen atom introduced during this enzymic oxidation is derived from the atmosphere and not from water. The rates of oxidation have been determined by uv analysis, and correlated with the Hammett p sigma constants for the phenyl methyl sulphide series. The value of ρ = −0.67 so obtained is interpreted in terms of a mechanism of oxidation at sulphur involving an electrophilic attack on the sulphide sulphur by the enzymic activated iron–oxygen complex, followed by conversion of the resulting sulphur cation to sulphoxide.
一系列芳基取代的苯基和苄基甲基硫醚已被Mortierellaisabellina NRRL 1757氧化为相应的亚砜。在这种酶氧化过程中引入的氧原子来自大气,而不是来自水。通过紫外分析确定了氧化速率,并与苯基甲基硫醚系列的Hammett p sigma常数相关联。所得到的ρ值为-0.67,这被解释为涉及硫氧化的机制,其中酶活化的铁-氧复合物对硫醚硫发起亲电攻击,随后将产生的硫阳离子转化为亚砜。