Process for preparation of aromatic hydroperoxides

A process for the preparation of aromatic hydroperoxides which comprises reacting an aromatic compound represented by the following formula:

• ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 stands for a secondary alkyl group having 3 to 4 carbon atoms, R.sub.2 stands for a primary alkyl group having up to 4 carbon atoms, and n and m are numbers of 1 or 2 with the proviso that the sum of n and m does not exceed 3,
• with a molecular oxygen-containing gas in two liquid phases which comprise an oily phase containing the aromatic compound and a basic aqueous phase under agitation at a temperature of from room temperature to 200.degree. C. under a pressure of 1 to 50 Kg/cm.sup.2 gauge, wherein a copper compound catalyst composed of an inorganic salt or organic acid salt of copper which is soluble in the basic aqueous phase is present in the liquid phases at a concentration of 0.005 to 10 ppm as the copper atom, the pH value of the basic aqueous phase is maintained at 7.6 to 10, and the volume ratio of the basic aqueous phase to the oily phase is in the range of from 0.001 to 1.