of the solvents may contain from 2 to 8 acyclic carbon atoms typical mixtures which may be used to provide the solvent system especially with methyl ethyl ketone peroxide include various mixtures of c2 to c6 glycols and c3 to c6 trialkyl phosphates for example mixtures of numbers of the following materials ______________________________________ boiling point u00b0 c flast point u00b0 f ethylene glycol 197 2 240 8diethylene glycol 245 0 290dipropylene glycol 233 330hexylene glycol 198 230triethyl phosphate 216 240______________________________________ crude ethylene glycol usually containing quantities of diethylene glycol and triethylene glycol may be used in the solvent system fed by line 16 glycol derivatives such as ethylene glycol acetate may be used in the solvent system the relative proportions of the solvents their number and the difference between their individual boiling points in the solvent system may vary widely and are a matter of choice provided that the overall composition and the individual components conform to the above described parameters the quantity of solvent fed by line 16 should be at least sufficient to maintain a homogeneous reaction mixture throughout the addition of hydrogen peroxide the reaction is carried out at as low a temperature as possible compatible with speed of reaction higher temperatures favour decomposition of the product whereas low temperatures below 10 u00b0 c result in long reaction times the process is carried out at a temperature below about 35 u00b0 c.