from the auto oxidation reaction will be in the liquid phase the temperature of the reaction can be maintained between about 60 u00b0 and 180 u00b0 c and advantageously between about 80 u00b0 and 160 u00b0 c the reaction can be made to take place at atmospheric pressure if the nature of the starting materials and the temperature selected for the reaction permit this reaction can also be made to take place at a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure for example up to 50 atmospheres if such pressure is necessary to maintain the reaction products in the liquid phase the reaction medium should be kept free of any heavy metal ions which risk catalyzing the decomposition of the peroxidic compounds it is therefore advantageous to take such precautions to prevent the presence of these ions by the addition of agents to the reaction medium capable of sequestering the ions for example an alklaine phosphate and by the use of inert materials for the construction of the oxidation reactor for example glass enammelled steel stainless steel and so forth it is known that the initiation of the oxidation reactions using oxygen can be facilitated by the addition of substances to the reaction medium which give rise to free radicals for example the ketone peroxides hydrogen peroxide tertiobutyl peroxide and azobisisobutyronitrile if desired the aforesaid substances may be added to the.