Abstract: The manganese and iron porphyrin catalyzed oxygenation of styrene results in the production of phenylacetaldehyde as well as the expected epoxide. It is demonstrated that aldehyde is a primary product and does not result from isomerization of styrene oxide. Isotope labeling studies show that one of the fl hydrogen atoms of styrene migrates to the benzylic carbon in the course of aldehyde formation. Experiments using cis and trans ...
