Auto-oxidation of tetrakis-(p-dimethylaminophenyl)-ethylene

Tetrakis-(p-dimethylaminophenyl)-ethylene (1) dissolved in benzene and a small amount of acetic acid is oxidized by air and in time sets to a gel. The reaction products are formaldehyde, formylated and demethylated substances, peroxides, and there is evidence for the formation of polymeric peroxides. The latter are believed to bring about the gelation. The oxidation of 1 is autocatalyzed by a complex between oxygen and 1 in the presence of acetic acid.