The oxidation of cumene in a liquid-phase by contacting it with oxygen or air through a porous filter plate was studied with and without an addition of a catalyst.
Various catalysts such as manganese naphthenate, cobalt naphthenate, molybdenyl naphthenate and copper phthalocyanine were used. Of the catalysts tested, cobalt naphthenate was found to be effective in shortening the induction period and accelerating the formation of cumene hydroperoxide and simultaneously decomposing the product into dimethyl phenyl carbinol from the very early stage of reaction, which was not the case when the catalyst had not been added. The most effective concentration of cobalt naphthenate was about 5×10^-8 moles per liter of cumene and the maximum concentration of cumene hydroperoxide obtained was about 45 %.