Pulse radiolysis with spectrophotometric and conductometric detection was utilized to study the formation and reactions of radicals from benzene and dienes in aqueous solutions. The benzene OH adduct, *C6H6OH, reacts with O2 (k = 3 x 10(8) L mol(-1) s(-1)) in a reversible reaction. The peroxyl radical, HOC6H6O2*, undergoes O2*- elimination, bimolecular decay, and reaction with benzene to initiate a chain reaction, depending on the dose rate, benzene concentration, and pH. The occurrence of the chain reaction is demonstrated in low-dose-rate gamma radiolysis experiments where the consumption of O2 was monitored. 1,4-Cyclohexadiene, 1,4-hexadiene, and 1,4-pentadiene form OH-adducts and undergo H-abstraction by O*- radicals. The OH-adducts react with O2 to form peroxyl radicals. These peroxyl radicals, however, do not undergo unimolecular O2*- elimination but rather decay by second-order processes, which lead to subsequent steps of O2*- elimination.