The mechanism of the Cu+/amine catalysed oxidation of a number of substituted 4- aryloxyphenols (dimeric phenols) has been studied by analysis of primary reaction products. Quinone ketals are postulated as intermediates which can be decompose in two ways, depending on the substitution pattern of the starting 4-aryloxyphenol: a homolytic fission mechanism (two dimeric phenols yielding monomer and trimer as primary products), or an ...
