Groovy: isn't there a stringToMap out of the box?

You might want to try a few of your scenarios using evaluate, it might do what you are looking for.

def stringMap = "['a':2,'b':4]"
def map = evaluate(stringMap)

assert map.a == 2
assert map.b == 4

def stringMapNested = "['foo':'bar', baz:['alpha':'beta']]"
def map2 = evaluate(stringMapNested)

assert map2.foo == "bar"
assert map2.baz.alpha == "beta"

Not exactly native groovy, but useful for serializing to JSON:

import groovy.json.JsonBuilder
import groovy.json.JsonSlurper

def map = ['a':2,'b':4 ]
def s = new JsonBuilder(map).toString()
println s

assert map == new JsonSlurper().parseText(s)

with meta-programming:

import groovy.json.JsonBuilder
import groovy.json.JsonSlurper

Map.metaClass.toJson   = { new JsonBuilder(delegate).toString() }
String.metaClass.toMap = { new JsonSlurper().parseText(delegate) }

def map = ['a':2,'b':4 ]
assert map.toJson() == '{"a":2,"b":4}'
assert map.toJson().toMap() == map

unfortunately, it's not possible to override the toString() method...

I think you are looking for a combination of ConfigObject and ConfigSlurper. Something like this would do the trick.

def foo = new ConfigObject()
foo.bar = [ 'a' : 2, 'b' : 4 ]

// we need to serialize it
new File( 'serialized.groovy' ).withWriter{ writer ->
  foo.writeTo( writer )
}

def config = new ConfigSlurper().parse(new File('serialized.groovy').toURL())    

// highest level structure is a map ["bar":...], that's why we need one loop more
config.each { _,v ->
    v.each {key, value -> println key + " " + value}
}