PHOTOCATALYTIC OXYGENATION OF SELECTED CYCLOALKENES IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTIONS INDUCED BY WATER-SOLUBLE METAL PORPHYRIN COMPLEXES

Water-soluble manganese(III) as well as iron(III) porphyrinates are in troduced as light-sensitive precursor compounds for the photocatalytic activation of dioxygen in aqueous solutions. It is shown that in the presence of alpha-pinene (4) and the further cycloalkenes 11-13 photoc atalytic oxygenation reactions occur. The dependence of the selectivit y of the oxygen transfer to the olefin on both the presence of water a nd the variation of the substrate-to-catalyst ratio is discussed. The catalyst may be conveniently separated from the substrates/products by using aqueous solvent systems.