Oxygen → tert-Butylstyrene

To an aqueous solution containing 0.5 g of manganese nitrate was added 10 ml. of silica gel particles. After being evaporated to dryness, the mixture was calcined at 450°C for 10 hours. The thus obtained silica gel was immersed in 10 ml. of pyridine solution containing dissolved therein 0.02 g of palladium propionate and 0.1 g of uranium acetate, and then evaporated to dryness to obtain a catalyst. The catalyst (10 ml.), 10 ml. of tert-butylbenzene and 1 ml. of acetic acid were enclosed in a similar bomb to that used in Example 4, and etylene and oxygen were introduced into the bomb both in terms of a pressure of 20 kg/cm2 from the upper valve. The reaction was carried out at 140°C for 10 hours with shaking. tert-Butylstyrene was yielded in a proportion of 1200 %, based on the mole of palladium in the catalyst used.