The invented process produces
hydrogen peroxide by reacting a primary or secondary
alcohol with
oxygen in the presence of an
imide compound of the following formula (1):wherein each of R1 and R2 is, identical to or different from each other, a
hydrogen atom, a
halogen atom, an
alkyl group, an
aryl group, a cycloalkyl group, a hydroxyl group, an
alkoxy group, a carboxyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, or an
acyl group, where R1 and R2 may be combined to form a
double bond, or an aromatic or non-aromatic ring; X is an
oxygen atom or a hydroxyl group, where one or two N-substituted cyclic imido groups indicated in the formula (1) may be further bonded to the R1, R2, or to the double, bond or aromatic or non-aromatic ring formed together by R1 and R2, to yield
hydrogen peroxide. According to the process,
hydrogen peroxide can be easily and efficiently obtained from readily available materials.