Effect of phenol molecular structure on bacterial transformation rate constants in pond and river samples.

Microbial transformation rate constants for a series of phenols were correlated with a property of the substituents, van der Waal's radius. Transformation products were the corresponding catechols, with the exception of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, the product of p-acetylphenol. A different product suggested a different pathway; p-acetylphenol, therefore, was deleted from the data base.