The decomposition of peroxobenzoic acid in benzene was studied, and catalytic effects of Fe(III), Mn(III), Co(II), Co(III), and Cr(III) on the reaction rate and the composition of the reaction mixture were investigated. An analogous experiment carried out in perdeuterobenzene and determination of the distribution of deuterium in the reaction products provided evidence for the participation of the solvent in peroxobenzoic acid decomposition.
