Method of preparing benzyl alcohols by decarbonylation of formic acid esters

A method for preparing a benzyl alcohol or ring-substituted benzyl alcohol which comprises decarbonylating a formic acid ester of the corresponding benzyl alcohol in the presence of 0.01 to 15 mol percent of a strong base as catalyst by heating at a temperature sufficient to effect carbon monoxide evolution said formic acid ester in the presence of said strong base in a reaction mixture consisting essentially of said formic acid ester and said catalyst, the process being carried out either in the melt or in the presence of a solvent, the solvent being a tertiary alcohol or an alcohol corresponding to the formic acid ester reactant, the decarbonylation being carried out at a temperature at which the formic acid ester employed and the resulting alcohol are in fluid form.