“Green” Oxidation Catalysis for Rapid Deactivation of Bacterial Spores

A view to a kill: Iron(III)-coordinated tetraamide macrocyclic ligands (see example) activate peroxides in water in the presence of a cationic surfactant to rapidly deactivate spores of the common anthrax surrogate, Bacillus atrophaeus. A 99.99999 % kill can be achieved in 15 min at pH 10 and room temperature with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (see TEM images).