The effect of mixing and mass transfer on polysulphide generation by catalytic oxidation of sodium sulphide was studied using two batch-operated reactors. One was a sparged reactor operated at atmospheric pressure and low mixing intensities (0,37 to 28 W/kg), the other was an unsparged pressurized reactor characterized by high mixing intensities (17 to 3100 W/kg). The reaction parameters examined included the impeller speed, sparged gas flowrate, oxygen partial pressure, and catalyst loading and type. In both reactors the maximum polysulphide yield, selectivity and rate of formation increased with increasing energy dissipation. Increased gas sparging increased the rate of reaction, but had little effect on either yield or selectivity. Increased oxygen partial pressure increased the rate of oxidation but decreased both the yield and selectivity. The type of catalyst dramatically affected the yield of polysulphide produced for a given set of reaction conditions with improved mixing increasing reaction rate, yield and selectivity.