Key Role of the Phosphate Buffer in the H2O2 Oxidation of Aromatic Pollutants Catalyzed by Iron Tetrasulfophthalocyanine

The non-innocent role of the phosphate buffer has been established in the H2O2 oxidative decomposition of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP), a benchmark pollutant, catalyzed by iron(III) tetrasulfophthalocyanine (FePcS). The catalytic oxidation of several other substrates (3,5-dichloroaniline, tetrachlorocatechol, di-tert-butylcatechol and catechol itself) has been carried out, also demonstrating a crucial influence of the phosphate buffer in the decomposition of the chlorinated substrates. Three hypotheses have been studied: modification of the ionic strength, formation of a peroxyphosphate species, or catalysis by a peroxyphosphate–FePcS complex. Supports for the latter proposal have been obtained from several experimental results and attempts have been made to characterize this putative catalytic intermediate. This intermediate derivative has also been generated from the reaction of FePcS with peroxymonophosphoric acid (PMPA) and its catalytic activity has been checked on the decomposition of TCP in different reaction mixture. A short mechanistic study has allowed different reaction pathways to be proposed, dependent on the active species implicated.