The core mechanism involves the generation of highly reactive hydroxyl radicals through the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a metal catalyst. For example, in the case of iron, the reaction can be summarized as follows: \[ \text{Fe}^2+ + H_2O_2 \rightarrow \text{Fe}^3+ + \cdot OH + OH^- \] The produced hydroxyl radicals are highly reactive and can degrade a wide range of organic pollutants, making Fenton-like reactions useful for environmental remediation.
