Department of Chemistry, Vasantrao Naik Mahavidyalaya, Aurangabad-431 003, Maharashtra, India E-mail : mbubale@yahoo.com Govt. College of Arts and Science, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India Postgraduate and Research Centre, Maulana Azad College, Aurangabad-431 003, Maharashtra, India Manuscript received 24 December 2008, accepted 5 February 2009 Kinetic Investigations of oxidation or benzhydrol and p-substituted benzhydrols by N-bromophtbalimide (NBP) in aqueous acetic acid medium in presence or mercuric(ll) acetate as a scavenger have been studied. In absence of mineral acids, the oxidation kinetics of benzbydrois by NBP shows a first order dependence on NBP and fractional order on benzbydrols. The variation of ionic strength, Hg(OAc)2 , H+ and phthalimide (reaction product) have Insignificant efrect on reaction rate. Activation parameten for the reaction have been evaluated from Arrhenius plot by studying the reaction at different temperatures. A mechanism involving transfer of hydride ion In rate determining step is suggested.