Mechanism of phenol oxidation by heterodinuclear Ni Cu bis(μ-oxo) complexes involving nucleophilic oxo groups

Abstract

Oxidation of phenols by heterodinuclear Cu^III(μ-O)₂Ni^III complexes containing nucleophilic oxo groups occurs by both proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanisms; the exact mechanism depends on the nature of the phenol as well as the substitution pattern of the ligand bound to Cu.