What is the difference between hydrogen atom abstraction and oxygen-insertion pathway for oxidation of benzene to phenol? In a paper ''Mechanism for the Direct Oxidation of Benzene to
Phenol by FeO+'' the authors told about hydrogen atom abstraction and oxygen-insertion pathway for oxidation of benzene to phenol. So what is the key difference between these two pathways theoretically?
Oxidation we define as addition of oxygen and removal of hydrogen . Unless we remove hydrogen , we can nor insert oxygen in the system So I guess both phenomenon same for the oxidation of benzene to phenol.
Thank You@Sir Madhukar Baburao Deshmukh for your valuable answer. In the published paper '' Mechanism for the Direct Oxidation of Benzene to Phenol by FeO+'' authors concluded that the oxygen-insertion mechanism is not appropriate in benzene hydroxylation over Fe ZSM-5 zeolite as compare to hydrogen atom abstraction mechanism. So I want to know that what is the key difference between these two pathways theoretically?
Briefly, the hydrogen atom abstraction (HAA) is a radical (1-electron) process, while "the "oxygen insertion" is 2-electron process. Benzene is never oxidized through HAA pathway. Radicals, such as HO(.), form a complex with the aromatic ring, which then further oxidized.