In a set of volumes on sulphur-containing functional groups, the volume on the sulphonium group appeared in 1981 (in two parts). The present volume deals with
sulphones and sulphoxides and further volumes, one on derivatives of sulphinic acids and
another on derivatives of sulphenic acids, are now in the course of preparation, with a
volume on sulphonic acid derivatives planned for the more distant future.
Chapters were planned on 'Structural chemistry of solids'; 'NMR and ESR'; 'Carbon
acidity'; 'Syntheses and uses of isotopically labelled compounds' and on 'Pyrolysis' in this
volume, but did not materialize. We will try to fill these gaps in a future supplementary
volume.
The coverage of literature in most chapters is up to the middle or end of 1986.
We would be very grateful to readers who would let us know about mistakes or
omissions in this volume or in other volumes in the Functional Groups series.