Initial Steps in the Degradation of Chlorobenzene Derivatives by Pseudomonas putida

For the first step of the bacterial transformation of chlorobenzene derivatives there are two possibilities: (1) formation of a dioxetane by a dioxygenase attack, (2) formation of an oxirane by a monooxygenase attack. Evidence for a monooxygenase attack is the conversion of 1,2‐dichlorobenzene into 2,3‐, 3,4‐ and 2,6‐dichlorophenol, as is also the formation of 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol from 1,3,5‐trichlorobenzene.