Hydrogen peroxide oxygenation of alkanes catalysed by manganese(III)-tetraarylporphyrins: the remarkable co-catalytic effect of lipophilic carboxylic acids and heterocyclic bases

Oxygenation of alkanes promoted by 30% H2O2 and catalysed by chemically robust manganese(III)-tetraarylporphyrins 2–4 is strongly accelerated by addition of small amounts of lipophilic carboxylic acids and lipophilic heterocyclic bases; cycloalkanes are converted into mixtures of alcohols and ketones at a rate of up to 125 turnovers min–1 in CH2Cl2–H2O solution at 0 °C.