The side-chain oxidation of 2-nitrotoluene in liquid phase in the presence of catalytic amount of manganese sulfate and stoichiometric amount of potassium hydroxide with oxygen was studied. In the most favorable conditions, over 80% of conversion of 2-nitrotoluene and 50% of selectivity to 2-nitrobenzaldehyde was achieved. Effects of the reaction parameters on the conversion of the reactant and the selectivity of the product were examined. These results, together with EPR spectroscopic study, show that a benzyl anion was formed in the early stage of the reaction, which was then converted to the final product via a free radical mechanism.