The selective liquid phase oxidation of o-xylene over hydrophobic porous Co2+ and Mn3+ containing polysiloxane catalysts showed that both catalysts had higher activity than the homogeneous benchmark system Co naphthenate. The solid catalyst/initiator systems accelerate the radical initiation and the hydroperoxide decomposition. 2-Methylbenzyl hydroperoxide plays a key role in the reaction network as it is the first observed ...