Manganese tetraazaporphines as effective catalysts for the nuclear oxidation of aromatics by peracetic acid

Manganese tetranitrotetra-tert-butyltetraazaporphine at low concentrations (0.02 mol%) effectively catalyses the oxidation of 2-methylnaphthalene by peracetic acid to give 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone in 65% yield with a catalyst turnover number of 3100.