ON THE REGIOSELECTIVITY OF THE FREMY'S SALT OXIDATION OF PHENOLS

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(01)81645-8

A detailed study of the regioselectivity of the Fremy's salt oxidation of phenols, including a series of MNDO calculations of the intermediate phenoxy radicals, has been carried out.The analysis of these results has led us to establish a new rule for the para vs. ortho regioselectivity, namely: "C-4 unsubstituted phenols, as well as phenols substituted at C-4 with easy-to-displace groups, undergo oxidation (or oxidative degradation) by the action of Fremy's salt, thus eventually providing the corresponding p-quinones".A similar rule for the ortho vs. ortho' regioselectivity could not be so precisely formulated since now steric effects play a significant major role.