Studies of oxidations by fenton's reagent using redox titration. V. Effect of complex formation on reaction mechanism

Abstract

The effect of complex formation on the oxidation of substrate in the Fe²⁺-H₂O₂ system has been studied. t-Butyl alcohol which is normally oxidized to the dimer, 2,5-dimethylhexane-2,5-diol, by Fenton's reagent has been used as a probe for the presence of free hydroxyl radical.     It is shown that when suitable complexes are formed substrates are not oxidized by free hydroxyl radical. Instead, new mechanisms involving one- and two-electron transfers within a substrate-ferrous ion-peroxide complex are proposed.