Abstract: The invention relates to a process that integrates the oxidation of toluene to benzoic acid with the production of benzoate plasticizers. Toluene is fed to an oxidation vessel in the presence of oxygen and an oxidation catalyst wherein benzoic acid serves as the solvent for the oxidation. The crude benzoic acid produced is not purified and is then reacted with an alcohol in the presence of an esterification catalyst to produce the crude benzoate ester. The oxidation catalyst, esterification catalyst, and other impurities can be mostly removed from the crude benzoate ester in subsequent washing and filtering steps. The benzoate esters produced through this method can be made in fewer steps with both yields and purities above 80%.