The Oxidation of 2,6-Di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol Using Hydrogen Peroxide-Heteropolyacid System

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.63.1835

The oxidation of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (1) with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of heteropolyacids was carried out in acetic acid to give 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroperoxy-4-methyl-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-one (2), 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-one (3), and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-benzoquinone (4).Conversion of 2 into 4 under acidic conditions suggests that 2 could be a precursor of 4.The oxidation mechanism of phenols was discussed based on isolated intermediates.