Ring hydroxylation of di-t-butylhydroxytoluene by rat liver microsomal preparations

3,5-Di-t-butylhydroxytoluene (compound I) was converted into 4-hydroperoxy-4-methyl-2,6-di-t-butylcyclohexa-2,5-dienone (compound II), 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2,6-di-t-butylcyclohexa-2,5-dienone (compound III) and 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxymethylphenol (compound IV) by rat liver microsomal preparations in the presence of NADPH and air. The oxidation of compound (I) by m-chloroperbenzoic acid also produced the same compounds. These results suggest that hydroperoxide can be an intermediate in aromatic hydroxylation and that biological oxygenations resemble per-acid reactions.