Abstract In the autoxidation of cumenes to benzoic acids at about 140 in butyric acid as solvent and with Co-and Mn-acetates as catalysts the main side-reaction is the formation of dimethylbenzyl alcohols. It may be suppressed by employing a low hydrocarbon concentration. The carbinols formed are partly dehydrated to α-methylstyrenes, which are oxidized, via acetophenones, to benzoic acids (about 50%), and to 1-methyl-1- ...
