VANILLYLACETONE OXIDATION BY MANGANESE COMPLEXES OF ?-HYDROXY ACIDS AND MALONIC ACID AS EVIDENCED BY PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION

Manganese peroxidase and lignin peroxidase only are capable of degrading lignin, the most abundant renewable polymer. Manganese peroxidase cannot readily complete its catalytic cycle in the absence of manganese(II). The effect of manganese complexes of  a-hydroxy acids and malonic acid on a model substrate, vanillylacetone, was studied. Vanillylacetone undergoes radical oxidation by these complexes to pyruvaldehyde. Manganese(III) complexes are water sensitive therefore it is believed they are formed at the site of action during the catalytic cycle.