Unusual substituent effects in the hydroxylation of phenols by a Cu(2+)-ascorbic acid-O2 system, gamma-radiolysis, and microsomes.

Aromatic ring hydroxylation of phenolic compounds proceeded selectively in a Cu(2+)-ascorbic acid-O2 system. In contrast to usual oxidation systems, unusual substituent effects were observed: electron-withdrawing groups accelerate and electron-donating groups retard the hydroxylation. Hydroxyl radicals generated by gamma-radiolysis also converted phenols into catechols and hydroquinones. The close resemblance of these two systems led us to presume that the active intermediate in the Cu(2+)-ascorbic acid-O2 system is hydroxyl radical or an equivalent species. The unusual substituent effects were also observed in the hydroxylation of p-substituted phenol by microsomes, a cytochrome P-450-dependent reaction. These results imply that the Cu(2+)-ascorbic acid-O2 system is an effective biomimetic oxidation system.