The oxidative dehydrogenation of phenol compounds, as well as polymer formation from these monomers, was studied by UV-vis and Mo ¨ssbauer spectroscopy using a novel biological catalyst hematin. The mechanism of the polymerization reaction was also followed in various pH environments. Phenol radicals were formed by a two-step electron transfer reaction catalyzed by hematin in the presence of peroxide, and polymer was formed from phenol radicals by a noncatalytic reaction. This mechanism partially explains the analogous catalytic polymerization activity of horseradish peroxidase.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.