To overcome mass transfer limitations which are usually encountered on immobilizing active catalysts, cationic latex particles were used as support for the cobalt(I1) complex of disodium N,hP-bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine-5,5'-disulfonate (1). The cationic latex 2 was prepared by emulsion copolymerization of chloromethylstyrene (m/p-isomer mixture 60/40) and divinylbenzene (m/p-isomer mixture) followed by treatment with trimethylamine. The latexbound catalyst from 1 and 2 was found to considerably increase the reaction rate of the autoxidation of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol in water as compared with the conventional polymer-free system. Reaction products were identified as the oxidative coupling product 3,3',5,5'-tetratert-butyldiphenoquinone (3,3',5,5'-tetra-ter~-butyl-4,4'-dioxo-l,l'-bicyclohexa-2,5-dieny~idene) and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-1,4-benzoquinone. All reactions showed an induction period before the start of dioxygen consumption. The rate of autoxidation in the three-phase mixtures of water, latex particles, and phenol droplets was not affected significantly by the method of mixing. The reaction rate increased as the concentration of 1 increased. Increasing the partial pressure of dioxygen in the range between 0,25 and 1,0 atm (2,53 . lo4 -1,Ol . 10' Pa) gave a small increase in rate. The colloidal latex catalyst from 1 and 2 showed some loss of activity after successive runs. 0 1993, Huthig & Wepf Verlag, Basel CCC 0025-1 16X/93/$05.00