Catalytic Performance and Kinetics of the Precursor of [Fe]-Hydrogenase in the Reaction of Phenol Hydroxylation in Aqueous Phase at Ambient Temperature

Abstract

FeI2(CO)3PPh3, which usually used as the precursor of [Fe]-hydrogenase, was firstly used as catalyst in one-step hydroxylation of phenol to dihydroxybenzenes. It was found that the reaction can be conducted smoothly in aqueous phase at ambient temperature (25 °C). In the optimum conditions, the conversion of phenol is 26.7% and selectivity of DHB is 80.0%. The possible mechanism was investigated and proposed. The apparent kinetics study shows that it is a pseudo second order reaction and activation energy Ea is 66.36 kJ/mol.