Chemo‐ and Regioselective Direct Hydroxylation of Arenes with Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyzed by a Divanadium‐Substituted Phosphotungstate

Peroxide in, phenol out: The catalyst [γ-PW(10)O(38)V(2)(μ-OH)(2)](3-) showed high activity in the hydroxylation of various aromatic compounds with aqueous H(2)O(2). The system was regioselective, producing para-phenols from monosubstituted benzene derivatives. Furthermore, alkylarenes with reactive side-chain C sp 3-H bonds could be chemoselectively hydroxylated without significant formation of side-chain oxygenated products.