Formation and reaction of O=MnV species in the oxidation of phenolic substrates with H2O2 catalysed by the dinuclear manganese(IV) 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane complex [MnIVV2(µ-O)3(TMTACN)2](PF6)2

The oxidation of phenolic substrates with H2O2 catalysed by [MnIV2(µ-O)3(TMTACN)2](PF6)2 1,(TMTACN, 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) has been investigated by use of ESI mass spectrometry. The role of the phenols as one-electron reductants and as co-ligands in the stabilisation and reaction of an intermediate OMnV species has been analysed and the presence of a variety of manganese species in solution has been explained. Our results lead to a proposed mechanism for the catalytic oxidation of phenols in this system. Graphical abstract image for this article (ID: b315427k