What is Sulfoxide?
[[Image:Sulfoxide.svg|right|thumb|150px|General structure of a sulfoxide]] A '''sulfoxide''' is a [[molecule]] that has a [[sulfur]] atom bonded to two [[carbon]]s and one [[oxygen]] atom. It comes from [[oxidation|oxidising]] [[thioether]]s, 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 means that the shape at that atom is [[tetrahedral]]. It also means that the sulfur can be a [[chirality|chiral centre]]. Sulfoxides are used as good [[ligand]]s for [[transition metal]]s. An important molecule of this kind is [[dimethyl sulfoxide]]. It is also called DMSO. It is used as a [[solvent]] for many reactions, especially in [[biochemistry]]. {{Functional group}} [[Category:Functional groups]] [[Category:Organosulfur compounds]]