Kinetic and Product Study of the S-oxidation vs HAT Chemoselectivity in Reactions Promoted by Nonheme Iron(IV)-oxo Complex/NHPI Mediator System

The chemoselectivity between S-oxidation and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from C−H bonds has been investigated in the oxidations of a series of aryl sulfides, alkyl aromatic compounds and benzylic alcohols promoted by the iron(IV)-oxo complex [(N4Py)Fe^IV(O)]²⁺ (N4Py: N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-N-bis(2-pyridyl)-methylamine) either alone or in the presence of the N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) mediator via kinetic and product studies. Kinetic analyses indicate a generally higher reactivity of [(N4Py)Fe^IV(O)]²⁺ for S-oxidation process while HAT is favored in the reactions promoted by phthalimide-N-oxyl radical (PINO) deriving from NHPI oxidation. Product analysis in intermolecular competitive oxidations confirms the kinetic results with sulfoxides obtained as major products in the oxidation promoted by [(N4Py)Fe^IV(O)]²⁺. Conversely, when NHPI is employed as a mediator, significant differences in terms of chemoselectivity are observed, and HAT-derived products are obtained in higher yields which translate into an inversion of selectivity in the case of the substrates containing activated C−H bonds like diphenylmethane, triphenylmethane and benzylic alcohols. A similar change of chemoselectivity is also observed in the oxidation of aromatic substrates containing both a sulfur atom and α to OH benzylic C−H bonds, with the sulfoxide product more abundant in the absence of NHPI and carbonyl products prevailing with the [(N4Py)Fe^IV(O)]²⁺/NHPI system.     

Effect of acyl substituents on the reaction mechanism for aminolyses of 4-nitrophenyl X-substituted benzoates

Second-order rate constants (k(N)) have been measured spectrophotometrically for the reaction of 4-nitrophenyl X-substituted benzoates with a series of alicyclic secondary amines in H(2)O containing 20 mol % dimethyl sulfoxide at 25.0 degrees C. The magnitude of the k(N) values increases with increasing the basicity of amines and with increasing the electron-withdrawing ability of the acyl substituent X. The Hammett plots obtained are not linear but show a break or curvature as the acyl substituent X becomes electron withdrawing for all the amines studied, while the Bronsted-type plots are linear with large beta(nuc) values for all the substrates investigated. The nonlinear Hammett plots suggest a change in the rate-determining step upon changing the acyl substituent X, whereas the linear Bronsted-type plots indicate that the rate-determining step does not change upon changing amine basicity. The Yukawa-Tsuno plots obtained are also linear with positive rho(X) and large r values, suggesting that the nonlinear Hammett plots are not due to a change in the rate-determining step upon changing the acyl substituent X, but due to resonance demand of the pi-electron donor substituent on the acyl moiety. The magnitude of the rho(X) and beta(nuc) values increases with increasing the basicity of amines and with increasing the electron-withdrawing ability of the acyl substituent X, respectively, while that of the r values decreases with increasing rho(X) values and amine basicity.     

Remote substituent effects on N-X (X = H,F, Cl,CH3, Li) bond dissociation energies in para-substituted anilines

UB3LYP/6-311++g**//UB3LYP/6-31+g* and ROMP2/6-311++g**//UB3LYP/6-31+g* methods were used to calculate (i) N-X bond dissociation energies (BDE) in 4-YC6H4NH-X and (ii) N-H BDEs in 4-YC6H4NU-H, where Y = H, Me, OCH3, SMe, NH2, NMe2, SiMe3, F, Cl, CN, COOH, CF3, and NO2, X = H, CH3, F, Cl, and Li, and U = H, F, and CH(3). It was found that N-H BDEs of 4-YC6H4NH2 have a positive correlation with the substituent sigma(p+) constants. The slope (rho+) is about 3.0-4.3 kcal/mol, which is in good agreement with the experimental results. It was also found that the substituent effects on N-X BDEs of 4-YC6H4NH-X change considerably when X changes. rho(+)values for N-CH3, N-F, N-Cl, and N-Li BDEs were calculated to be 3.1-4.6, 1.3-1.9, 1.8-2.6, and 4.9-6.8 kcal/mol, respectively. The reason for the variation of substituent effects was proposed to be the ground-state effect, i.e., the interaction between the intact NH-X moiety and the parasubstituents. Finally, alpha-substitution was found to be able to significantly change the substituent effects. rho(+)values for N-H BDEs of 4-C6H4NCH3(-)H and 4-C6H4NF-H are 2.5-4.0 and 1.7-1.9 kcal/mol, respectively.     

Aryl Boronic Acid Catalysed Dehydrative Substitution of Benzylic Alcohols for C−O Bond Formation

A combination of pentafluorophenylboronic acid and oxalic acid catalyses the dehydrative substitution of benzylic alcohols with a second alcohol to form new C−O bonds. This method has been applied to the intermolecular substitution of benzylic alcohols to form symmetrical ethers, intramolecular cyclisations of diols to form aryl-substituted tetrahydrofuran and tetrahydropyran derivatives, and intermolecular crossed-etherification reactions between two different alcohols. Mechanistic control experiments have identified a potential catalytic intermediate formed between the aryl boronic acid and oxalic acid.     

Tuning the redox chemistry of 4-benzoyl-N-methylpyridinium cations through para substitution. Hammett linear free energy relationships and the relative aptitude of the two-electron reduced forms for H-bonding

In anhydrous CH3CN a series of nine 4-(4-substituted-benzoyl)-N-methylpyridinium cations (substituent: -OCH3, -CH3, -H, -SCH3, -Br, -Ctbd1;CH, -CHO, -NO2, and -(+)S(CH3)2) demonstrate two chemically reversible, well-separated one-electron (1-e) reductions in the same potential range as other main stream redox catalysts such as quinones and viologens. Hammett linear free energy plots yield excellent correlation between the E(1/2) values of both waves and the substituent constants sigma(p)(-)(X). The reaction constants for the two 1-e reductions are rho(1) = 2.60 and rho(2) = 3.31. The lower rho(1) value is associated with neutralization of the pyridinium ring, and the higher rho(2) value with the negative charge developing during the 2nd-e reduction. Structure-function correlations point to a purely inductive role for substitution in both 1-e reductions. The case of the 4-(4-nitrobenzoyl)-N-methylpyridinium cation is particularly noteworthy, because the 4-nitrobenzoyl moiety undergoes reduction before the 2nd reduction of the 4-benzoyl-N-methylpyridinium system. Correlation of the third wave of this compound with the 2nd-e reduction of the others yields sigma(p)(-NO)2*- = -0.97 +/- 0.02, thus placing the -NO2-* group among the strongest electron donors. Solvent deuterium isotope effects and maps of the electrostatic potential (via PM3 calculations) as a function of substitution support that 2-e reduced forms develop H-bonding with proton donors (e.g., CH3OH) via the O-atom. The average number of CH3OH molecules entering the H-bonding association increases with e-donating substituents. H-bonding shifts the 2nd reduction wave closer to the first one. This has important practical implications, because it increases the equilibrium concentration of the 2-e reduced form from disproportionation of the 1-e reduced form.     

New efficient aerobic oxidation of some alcohols with dioxygen catalysed by N-hydroxyphtalimide with vanadium co-catalysts

New efficient vanadium co-catalysts have been developed for the oxidation of some alcohols with O(2) catalysed by N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI). Various alcohols (primary and secondary) were selectively oxidized by O(2) under mild conditions in the presence of a catalytic amount of NHPI as a radical-producing agent combined with small amounts of vanadium complexes with or without the addition of a simple salt (e.g. LiCl) or base (e.g. pyridine).     

Evaluation of the extent of conjugation in symmetrical and asymmetrical aryl-substituted acetophenone azines using electrochemical methods.

The electrochemical behavior of a series of symmetrical and unsymmetrical aryl-substituted acetophenone azines (1-X/Y, where X and Y are 4-NO2, 4-CN, H, 3-OCH3, 4-OCH3, 4-CH3, and 4-N(CH3)2) was studied in acetonitrile and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solution using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Compounds 1-X/Y, where neither X or Y are nitro substituents, undergo successive reduction to their radical anion (1-X/Y.-) and then dianion (1-X/Y2-), respectively. In all cases, the formation of the radical anion is completely reversible and the standard reduction potentials, Eo1-X/Y/1-X/Y.- could be determined. The reversibility of the second electron transfer is substituent dependent with certain dianions sufficiently basic to be protonated under our conditions. Standard reduction potentials (Eo1-X/Y/1-X/Y.-) for the formation of radical anions exhibit a large substituent effect with values differing by more than 0.66 V throughout the series going from 1-4-CN/4-CN to 1-4-OCH3/4-OCH3; similar substituent effects were determined for the formation of the dianion. The nitro-containing azines deviate from the above-mentioned behavior. With the exception of 1-4-NO2/4-NO2, they exhibit single electron waves that have values of Eo1-X/Y/1-X/Y.- within 40 mV of each other and thus the reduction is not subject to the same substituent effect as the other azines. 1-4-NO2/4-NO2 exhibits an Eo at a similar potential, but is a two-electron reversible wave with features indicative of a reduction system containing two localized, nonconjugated redox centers. The reduction potentials of all the aryl azines were correlated with Hammett sigma parameters to look at variations in Eo1-X/Y/1-X/Y.- vs SCE as a function of substituent. The small rho values in combination with the other electrochemical data provide support for single bond character of the N-N bond and evidence for a lack of strong electronic communication between the two aryl centers through the azomethine bonds, especially for those systems with electron-withdrawing groups.     

Enantioselective Copper(I)/Chiral Phosphoric Acid Catalyzed Intramolecular Amination of Allylic and Benzylic C−H Bonds

Radical‐involved enantioselective oxidative C?H bond functionalization by a hydrogen‐atom transfer (HAT) process has emerged as a promising method for accessing functionally diverse enantioenriched products, while asymmetric C(sp³)?H bond amination remains a formidable challenge. To address this problem, described herein is a dual Cu^I/chiral phosphoric acid (CPA) catalytic system for radical‐involved enantioselective intramolecular C(sp³)?H amination of not only allylic positions but also benzylic positions with broad substrate scope. The use of 4‐methoxy‐NHPI (NHPI=N‐hydroxyphthalimide) as a stable and chemoselective HAT mediator precursor is crucial for the fulfillment of this transformation. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate that a crucial allylic or benzylic radical intermediate resulting from a HAT process is involved.     

A novel and selective oxidation of benzylic alcohols with polymer-supported periodic acid under mild aprotic conditions

A new polymeric oxidizing reagent was prepared by supporting periodic acid on poly（1,4-phenylene-2,5-pyridine dicarboxyamide）. This polymeric reagent was used for the selective oxidation of primary benzylic alcohols to the corresponding benzaldehydes in CH₃CN at reflux conditions.Excellent selectivity was observed between primary benzyl alcohols and secondary ones as well as non-benzylic alcohols in the oxidation reactions.Allylic alcohols were also converted to the corresponding aldehydes with good yields.     

Polar effects and structural variation in 4-substituted 1-phenylbicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives: a quantum chemical study

The transmission of polar effects through the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane framework has been investigated by ascertaining how the geometry of a phenyl group at a bridgehead position is affected by a variable substituent at the opposite bridgehead position. We have determined the molecular structure of several Ph-C(CH(2)-CH(2))(3)C-X molecules (where X is a charged or dipolar substituent) from HF/6-31G and B3LYP/6-311++G molecular orbital calculations and have progressively replaced each of the three -CH(2)-CH(2)- bridges by a pair of hydrogen atoms. Thus the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives were changed first into cyclohexane derivatives in the boat conformation, then into n-butane derivatives in the anti-syn-anti conformation, and eventually into assemblies of two molecules, Ph-CH(3) and CH(3)-X, appropriately oriented and kept at a fixed distance. For each variable substituent the deformation of the benzene ring relative to X = H remains substantially the same even when the substituent and the phenyl group are no longer connected by covalent bonds. This provides unequivocal evidence that long-range polar effects in bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives are actually field effects, being transmitted through space rather than through bonds. Varying the substituent X in a series of Ph-C(CH(2)-CH(2))(3)C-X molecules gives rise to geometrical variation (relative to X = H) not only in the benzene ring but also in the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane cage. The two deformations are poorly correlated. The rather small deformation of the benzene ring correlates well with traditional measures of long-range polar effects in bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives, such as sigma(F) or sigma(I) values. The much larger deformation of the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane cage is controlled primarily by the electronegativity of X, similar to deformation of the benzene ring in Ph-X molecules. Thus the field and electronegativity effects of the substituent are well separated and can be studied simultaneously, as they act on different parts of the molecular skeleton.     

Substituent effects on the rate constants for the photo-Claisen rearrangement of allyl aryl ethers

The photochemistry of 11 substituted allyl 4-X- and 3-X-aryl ethers 3 (ArOCH2-CH=CH2) has been examined in both methanol and cyclohexane as solvents. The ethers react by the photo-Claisen rearrangement to give allyl substituted phenols as the major primary photoproducts, as expected from the well-established radical pair mechanism. The excited singlet state properties (absorption spectra, fluorescence spectra, fluorescence quantum yields, and singlet lifetimes) were compared with a parallel set of unreactive 4-X- and 3-X-anisoles 4. The excited-state properties of three substituted 4-X-aryl 4-(1-butenyl) ethers 14 (ArOCH2CH2-CH=CH2) were also examined. The model compounds 4 and the reactive allyl ethers 3 have essentially identical rate constants for the excited-state processes with the exception of, the rate constant for homolytic cleavage from S(1) of the allyl ethers to give the radical pair. The difference between the fluorescence quantum yields and/or singlet lifetimes for 3 and 4 were used to obtain values of for all of the allyl ethers. These values exhibit a large substituent effect, spanning almost 2 orders of magnitude with electron-donating groups (CH3O, CH3) accelerating the reaction and electron-withdrawing ones (CN, CF3) slowing it down. The parallel range of rate constants observed in both methanol and cyclohexane indicates that ion pairs are not important intermediates in these rearrangements. Quantum yields of reaction (Phi(r)) for several of the more reactive ethers demonstrate that neither these values nor rate constants of reaction derived from them are reliable measures of the actual excited-state process. In fact, the values are significantly lower than the ones, indicating that the radical pairs undergo recombination to generate starting material. Finally, the rate constants were found to parallel a trend for the change in bond dissociation energy (deltaBDE) for the O-C (allyl) bond of the allyl ethers, indicating that other possible substituent effects are of minor importance.     

Fluorescent oligo(N‐phenylmaleimide)s via aerobic radical telomerization initiated by benzylic hydrocarbons: Catalytic effect of CoII/N‐hydroxyphthalimide pair

Radical oligomerization of N‐phenylmaleimide (NPMI) was performed in benzylic hydrocarbons as the solvent. The thermally induced oligomerization occurred only above 130 °C, with the initiation attributed to autoxidation of benzylic hydrocarbons as well as formation and dissociation of charge‐transfer complexes between benzylic hydrocarbons and maleimides. The end‐group analysis on oligo(N‐ethylmaleimide) prepared under similar conditions confirmed that the chain transfer to benzylic hydrocarbons was the primary fashion in forming oligomeric chains, and radical telomerization underlaid the oligomerization with benzylic hydrocarbons as both the solvent, the initiator and the telogen. Co^II/N‐hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) pairs could catalyze the telomerization at 110 °C. In such a catalytic process, Co^II‐based oxidative complexes oxidized benzylic hydrocarbons and NHPI into benzylic radicals and phthalimide N‐oxyl (PINO), and benzylic hydrocarbons underwent hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) to PINO. Oligo(NPMI)s were formed via HAT with benzylic hydrocarbons and NHPI. These oligo(NPMI)s exhibited fluorescent properties with excitation at 270–350 nm and 400–550 nm and emission at 530–750 nm. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 3846–3857     

The C-H and alpha(C-X) bond dissociation enthalpies of toluene, C6H5-CH2X (X = F, Cl), and their substituted derivatives: a DFT study

The homolytic C-H bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs) of toluene and its para- and meta-substituted derivatives have been estimated by using the (RO)B3LYP/6-311++G(2df,2p)//(U)B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) procedure. The performance of two other hybrid functionals of DFT, namely, B3PWP91 and O3LYP, has also been evaluated using the same basis sets and molecules. Our computed results are compared with the available experimental values and are found to be in good agreement. The (RO)B3LYP and (RO)O3LYP procedures are found to produce reliable BDEs for the C-H bonds in toluene and the C-X (X = F, Cl) bond in alpha-substituted toluene (C6H5-CH2X) and their substituted derivatives. The substituent effect on the BDE values has been analyzed in terms of the ground-state effect and the radical effect. The effect of polarization of the C-H bond on the substituent effect is also analyzed. The BDE(C-H) and BDE(C-X) values for alpha-substituted (X = F and Cl) toluenes with a set of para substituents are presented for the first time.     

介孔石墨型氮化碳/N-羟基邻苯二甲酰亚胺组合催化体系催化醇类化合物的选择性氧化

醇的氧化产品(醛和酸)是精细化工中的重要中间体.醇类的选择性氧化无论是在基础研究还是在工业应用方面都具有非常重要的意义.传统的方法是使用化学计量的氧化剂(如：高氯酸盐,重铬酸盐,高锰酸盐,过氧酸)来氧化醇.但是,这些氧化剂具有强腐蚀性,价格较昂贵,有些氧化剂还具有很强的毒性或者反应后产生大量重金属废液.而以分子氧作为氧化剂在温和条件下实现醇到醛的氧化具有更好的经济性也更环保.在过去几十年里,科学家们发展了许多催化体系来活化氧气分子.这些体系大部分是基于钌、钯、铜和钛等金属催化剂.近年,考虑成本和环境因素,越来越多的科学家把目光投向无金属催化剂来实现醇的氧化.石墨型氮化碳(g-C3N4)是二维层状类石墨结构,层内原子以共价键相连,层与层之间由于分子间作用而堆叠在一起.在g-C3N4中引入介孔(mpg-C3N4)能够提高g-C3N4的比表面积,提供更多的活性位点.由于mpg-C3N4具有半导体性质(带隙宽度为2.7 eV),在可见光照射下能够激发出一个电子给氧气,氧气得到电子后生成具有较高氧化活性的?O2–.这样我们就可以在比较温和的条件下得到活性较高的氧化剂.但是?O2–活性和产量有限、并且容易被猝灭,因此我们想通过选用一个能形成比较稳定的自由基的有机分子来“传递氧化性”.基于上述思考,我们引入mpg-C3N4和N-羟基邻苯二甲酰亚胺(NHPI)作为组合催化体系实现光催化和有机催化有效的结合来催化选择性氧化醇.以苯甲醇为模型化合物、以mpg-C3N4/NHPI作为组合型催化剂、普通的钨丝灯为光源,在25 oC下通入1 atm O2,实现了醇的选择性氧化.通过电子自旋共振测试,我们探测到?O2–自由基.在只有mpg-C3N4的体系中,产生的?O2–自由基很快被猝灭,从而不能有效地氧化苯甲醇.而加入NHPI后,?O2–自由基能够夺取NHPI中O–H键的氢,形成PINO自由基.形成的PINO自由基能够在温和的反应条件下氧化苯甲醇得到苯甲醛.(图1)通过调节mpg-C3N4和NHPI的比例,我们发现增加mpg-C3N4的比例有利于苯甲醛的生成.一方面,较低的反应温度不利于生成的醛被进一步氧化成酸.另一方面,由于苯甲醇和mpg-C3N4通过O-H...N或者O-H...π相互作用能够很好的吸附到mpg-C3N4表面,从而氧化为苯甲醛;而生成的苯甲醛与mpg-C3N4的相互作用比较弱,容易脱附到溶液中,避免被进一步的氧化.同时,我们也将mpg-C3N4/NHPI催化体系拓展到其他醇类的氧化反应,同样能够得到很好的转化率和选择性.该催化体系不需要任何金属元素,利用偶合的光催化组合进行可见光催化氧化过程,反应温度低,为醇类分子的选择性氧化制备醛或者酸提供了一条有效并且环保的策略.     

Comparing the catalytic efficiency of ring substituted 1-hydroxybenzotriazoles as laccase mediators

A series of ring substituted 1-hydroxybenzotriazoles (6-X-HBTs) have been tested as mediators in the laccase-promoted oxidation of 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol, 3,4-dimethoxybenzyl alcohol, and the dimeric lignin model 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-phenoxyethanol. The effect of the aryl substituents on the yields of oxidation products is remarkable. The catalytic mediation efficiency increases as the electron releasing (ER) properties of the substituent increases up to a maximum value for 6-CH₃-HBT, which resulted a very efficient mediator. Both the oxidation of the 6-X-HBTs to the N-oxyl radicals (6-X-BTNO) by laccase and the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) process from the benzylic C–H to the 6-X-BTNO contribute to the overall reactivity. The former process is favored by ER substituents that lower the mediator redox potentials. On the other hand, ER substituents decrease the 6-X-BTNO reactivity in the HAT process due to a decrease in the NO–H BDE value, as assessed in this study through a radical equilibration technique.     

Electrochemical oxidation of amides of type Ph2CHCONHAr

Anodic oxidation of N-aryl-2,2-diphenylacetamides in acetonitrile undergoes three types of bond-cleavage, one between the benzylic carbon and the carbonyl group, the second between a carbonyl and 'N', and the third between the 'N' atom and aryl group. The selectivity of the cleavage and nature of emerged products is highly dependent on the nature of substituent attached to the aryl group. For example, electron-withdrawing groups direct the benzyl-carbonyl bond-breaking whereas electron-donating substituents favor the N-aryl bond cleavage. The type of products obtained involve benzophenone, 2,2-diphenylacetamide, N-(diphenylmethylene)acetamide, N-(diphenylmethyl)acetamide, α-lactam (1-acetyl-3,3-diphenylaziridin-2-one, as a 1 : 1 complex with 2,4-dinitroaniline) and aniline derivatives.     

Remarkable substituent effects on the oxidizing ability of triarylbismuth dichlorides in alcohol oxidation

Substituent effects on the oxidizing ability of triarylbismuth dichlorides were examined by intermolecular and intramolecular competition experiments on geraniol oxidation in the presence of DBU. It was found that the oxidizing ability of the dichlorides increases with increasing electron-withdrawing ability of the para substituents, and by introduction of a methyl group at the ortho position of the aryl ligands attached to the bismuth. The intermolecular and intramolecular H/D kinetic isotope effects observed for the competitive oxidation of p-bromobenzyl alcohols indicate that the rate-determining step involves C-H bond cleavage. Several primary and secondary alcohols were oxidized efficiently under mild conditions by the combined use of newly developed organobismuth(V) oxidants and DBU.     

A high performance oxidation method for secondary alcohols by inductive activation of TEMPO in combination with pyridine-bromine complexes

A new TEMPO-mediated catalytic oxidation method in combination with Py·HBr₃ (stoichiometric) is developed for oxidation of secondary alcohols to the corresponding ketones. The performance of this oxidizing system is better compared with that of TEMPO method combined with R₄NBr₃. Poly(4-vinylpyridine)·HBr₃ can be used in place of Py·HBr₃. The electron-withdrawing substituent at the C-4 position of TEMPO increases the reactivity of TEMPO significantly in the oxidation of electron-deficient alcohols such as polyhaloalkylmethanols. Inductive effect of the substituent of TEMPO is discussed through the characterization of the redox potential of N-O radical by cyclic voltammetry.     

Anthrone-derived NHPI analogues as catalysts in reactions using oxygen as an oxidant

An enantioselective synthesis of anthrone-derived NHPI analogues has been developed. One of these analogues, in combination with Co salts, was employed to catalyse the aerobic oxidation of benzylic compounds and diols. Exploratory studies using a racemic version of the catalyst were also conducted. Radical addition of dioxolanes or alcohols to activated alkenes with molecular oxygen as the terminal oxidant was also shown to be catalysed with NHPI analogues.     

Regioselective intramolecular oxidation of phenols and anisoles by dioxiranes generated in situ

A novel method for regioselective oxidation of phenols and anisoles has been developed in which dioxiranes, generated in situ from ketones and Oxone, oxidize phenol derivatives in an intramolecular fashion. A series of ketones with electron-withdrawing groups, such as CF(3), COOMe, and CH(2)Cl, were attached to phenols, anisoles, or aryl rings via a C(2) or C(3) methylene linker. In a homogeneous solvent system of CH(3)CN and H(2)O, oxidation of phenol derivatives 1-10 afforded spiro 2-hydroxydienones in 24-55% yields regardless of the presence of other substituents (ortho Me, meta Me or Br) on the aryl ring and the length of the linker. Experimental evidences were provided to support the mechanism that involves a regioselective pi bond epoxidation of aryl rings followed by epoxide rearrangement and hemiketal formation.