Abstract The mechanism of N-dealkylation mediated by cytochrome P450 (P450) has long been studied and argued as either a single electron transfer (SET) or a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from the amine to the oxidant of the P450, the reputed iron–oxene. In our study, tertiary anilinic N-oxides were used as oxygen surrogates to directly generate a P450- mediated oxidant that is capable of N-dealkylating the dimethylaniline derived from ...
