Dianisyltellurium oxide

Dianisyltellurium oxide (DAT) is a mild and selective oxidant for quinone for-mation. Treatment of the A,A-di-n-propyldopamine (2) with DAT leads to the betaine (3), which is identical with the product of oxidation by the enzyme tyrosinase both of (2) and of the monohydric phenol A,A-dimethyltyramine. The implications and relevance to the mode of action of tyrosinases have been discussed. 

---