Benzylic compounds microbial oxidation

On the other hand, microbial treatment of simple alkyl-substituted aromatic compounds (e.g., 1-isopropyl-4-methylbenzene328 332) results in oxygenation of the methyl group, rather than the chemically more susceptible isopropyl group333. Further oxidation of the benzylic alcohol to the corresponding carboxylic acid is common and, in most cases, represents the only isolated product. 

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