Enzymatic reactions have inspired many chemists to design small molecule mimics that would perform the function of the enzymes in aqueous and or non-aqueous medium. Catechol oxidase (CO) and phenoxazinone synthase (PHS) are two multi-copper enzymes in nature, which has led to model complexes of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu. Based on our earlier work in this area we have probed the commercially available metal acetates of the above metals to establish a trend in reactivity for catalytic conversions similar to those of the two enzymes. The results show that Mn is the best 3d transition metal for similar catalysis. Mn-II acetate was found to convert 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (DTBC) to 3,5-di-tert-butylquinone (DTBQ) with a k(cat) of 1.3(1) x 10(3) h(-1) and for o-aminophenol (OAP) to 2-aminophenoxazinone (APX) conversion the k(cat) =111(2)h(-1), demonstrating efficient CO and PHS like activity. Kinetic studies show that DTBC oxidation follows a first order kinetics with respect to the substrate for each of those metal(II) acetates with activity order of Mn Co > Cu >Fe >= Ni. Through mechanistic investigation we found that the reactive oxygen species detected during the oxidation of DTBC is mostly hydroxyl radical for Mn, Fe and Co whereas Cu and Ni generate H2O2. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.