Preparation of propylene glycol from propylene

A method of preparing propylene glycol in a homogeneous, single-phase reaction which comprises contacting ethylbenzene hydroperoxide with an excess of propylene at a pressure of between about 5 and about 150 psig. in a solution comprising between about 2.5 and about 50 weight percent ethylbenzene, between about one and about 20 weight percent ethylbenzene hydroperoxide and between about 30 and about 98 weight percent of an organic polar solvent in the presence of a sufficient amount of a tetraalkylammonium hydroxide in which the alkyl group has from one to about five carbon atoms to give a pH of about 14 and a catalytic amount of osmium tetroxide at a moderate temperature.