Intradiol Oxygenation of 3,5-Di-t-butylcatechol Catalyzed by Iron(HI) Salts

Abstract
3,5-Di-t-butylcatechol is oxygenated by Fe(III) salts without addition of ligands in THF/water, DMF, or DMF/aqueous borate buffer to give intradiol cleavage products. Intermediate formation of semiquinonatoiron(II) and catecholatoiron(III) complexes is indicated by electronic, MtJssbauer, ESR spectroscopy.