Long-Lived Photoexcited State of a Mn(IV)-Oxo Complex Binding Scandium Ions That is Capable of Hydroxylating Benzene.

Photoexcitation of a MnIV-oxo complex binding scandium ions ([(Bn-TPEN)MnIV(O)]2+-(Sc(OTf)3)2) in a solvent mixture of trifluoroethanol and acetonitrile (v/v = 1:1) resulted in formation of the long-lived photoexcited state, which can hydroxylate benzene to phenol. The photohydroxylation of benzene by [(Bn-TPEN)MnIV(O)]2+-(Sc(OTf)3)2 was made possible by electron transfer from benzene to the long-lived 2 E excited state of [(Bn-TPEN)MnIV(O)]2+-(Sc(OTf)3)2 to produce a benzene radical cation, which reacted with water as revealed by laser-induced transient absorption measurements.