Phenolic oxidations with phenyliodonium diacetate

Abstract

Phenyliodonium diacetate (PIDA) in methanol interacts smoothly with phenols to yield p-quinones, o-quinones, 4,4-dialkoxycyclohexa-2,5-dienones or-4-alkyl-4-alkoxycyclohexa-2,5-dienones, dependant on the constitution of the phenolic substrate. The reactions proceed in mild conditions and good yields and are synthetically useful.