Model reaction related to cytochrome P-450: effect of substitution on the rate of naphthalene oxidation

A kinetic method for measuring the relative rates of hydroxylation of naphthalene derivatives/cyclohexene has been developed. With this technique a linear relationship between the logarithm of the rates of oxidation products and the oxidation potentials of the naphthalene derivatives has been observed. Plots of σ Hammett and σ⁺ Hammett–Brown with logarithm of relative rates have been linear and shown ρ = −0.98 and ρ⁺ = −0.58, respectively. This contrast aromatic oxidation in protic solvents in which the oxidation products are naphthoquinones and provides further evidence for the intermediacy of carbocation in the hemin catalyzed hydroxylation of aromatic rings.