Cobalt Schiff base complexes [Co (SB)] catalyze the oxidation of anilines (1) with tert-butyl hydroperoxide to give nitrobenzenes 2 and 4-(tert-butylperoxy)-2, 5-cyclohexadien-1-imine derivatives 3 in yield distributions depending on the substitution mode of the substrate. 4- Alkyl-and 4-aryl-2, 6-di-tert-butylanilines gave mixtures of 2 and 3, where the higher the bulkiness of the 4-substituent, the higher the yield of 2. With 2, 4, 6-trimethylaniline, the ...