Various types of sulfides are selectively oxidized to sulfoxides in good to excellent yields in aqueous media using 30% aqueous hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant in the presence of catalytic amounts of a VO(acac)(2)-exchanged strongly acidic polymeric resin catalyst in water at room temperature. The catalyst can be recovered and reused at least five times without loss of activity and selectivity. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.