cations such as ammonium alkylammoniums e g tetraalkylammoniums alkali metals alkaline earth metals or the like cation examples include nh 4 nbu 4 li na k cs mg and ca cations more preferred buffers include alkali metal phosphate buffers buffers may preferably contain a combination of more than one suitable salt typically the concentration of buffer in the solvent is from about 0 0001 m to about 1 m preferably from about 0 001 m to about 0 1 m and most preferably from about 0 005 m to about 0 05 m oxygen and hydrogen are also required for the process of the invention although any sources of oxygen and hydrogen are suitable molecular oxygen and molecular hydrogen are preferred the molar ratio of hydrogen to oxygen can usually be varied in the range of h 2 o 2 1 100 to 5 1 and is especially favorable at 1 5 to 2 1 the molar ratio of oxygen to olefin is usually 1 1 to 1 20 and preferably 1 1 5 to 1 10 relatively high oxygen to olefin molar ratios e g 1 1 to 1 3 may be advantageous for certain olefins in addition to olefin oxygen and hydrogen an inert gas carrier may be preferably used in the process as the carrier gas any desired.