Moderate yields of benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol and benzylamine are obtained by the biomimetic oxidation of N-nitrosodibenzylamine with molecular oxygen catalysed by water soluble anionic manganese(III) 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin acetate/sodium dithionite/methylene blue in aerosol-OT (AOT) reverse micelles, under phase transfer conditions with AOT concentration higher than 10−3M. The formation of α-hydroxy-N-nitrosodibenzylamine and its decomposition products, benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohol in reverse micellar systems are governed by the ratio of water and AOT, pH and other changes in the microenvirpnment.
