Tert-butyl phenols are important commodity chemicals, with annual production exceeding 120,000 t per annum. They have multiple industrial applications including agrochemicals, antioxidants- in particular 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4- methylphenol (BHT, Figure 1), foods, flavours and fragrances and pharmaceuticals.1 BHT in particular, used as an antioxidant in polymers and oils and prepared by reaction of p-cresol with isobutylene in