FACILE BENZENE-RING CONTRACTION TO CYCLOPENTENE DERIVATIVES DURING THE COPPER PROMOTED OXIDATION OF PHENOL WITH DIOXYGEN

The oxidation of phenol with dioxygen in the presence of copper metal, primary alcohols and pyridine, under mild conditions, produces new compounds deriving from the aromatic ring contraction (alkyl 1-hydroxy-2-oxo-4,5,5-trialkoxycyclopent-3-ene-1-carboxylate 2) which were characterized by H-1 and C-13-NMR. In particular an X-ray study of the methyl derivative is reported.