Efficient phenolic oxidations using μ-oxo-bridged phenyliodine trifluoroacetate

The excellent oxidizing behavior of the μ-oxo-bridged phenyliodine trifluoroacetate 1 is revealed during the phenolic oxidations mediated by hypervalent iodine(III) reagents. The use of the μ-oxo-bridged compound 1 instead of PhI(OAc)2 (PIDA) and PhI(OCOCF3)2 (PIFA) during the oxidative cyclization of phenols involving carbon-oxygen, carbon-nitrogen, and carbon-carbon bond formations could produce spirocyclized cyclohexadienones in comparable or somewhat better yields. Thus, we have concluded that the unique reagent 1 is a promising alternative to PIDA and PIFA, and the use of reagent 1 as a reasonable choice is recommended for the hypervalent iodine(III)-mediated phenolic oxidations as well as other transformations.