The reactions of 1-phenylethanol and 1-phenylethanethiol, either alone or together, with AMS in alkaline 50Z aqueous dioxane at 88* have been studied. The mercaptan is oxidized several hundred times faster than the alcohol. The results imply that benzyl mer-captans, such as those produced during the kraft pulping of wood, could serve as reaction partners in the reduction of anthraquinone to anthrahydroquinone during kraft/anthraquinone pulping.