Claims
- 1. A process for preparing a dihydric phenol having the formula: ##STR9## wherein R represents a lower alkyl radical having 1-6 carbon atoms and each R may be the same or different, and n represents zero or an integer of 1 to 4 and when n is 3 or 4 not all of the 3-, 4- and 6-positions are occupied with the said alkyl radicals,
- which comprises oxidizing a monohydric phenol having the formula ##STR10## wherein R and n have the same meanings as above, with a ketone peroxide at a temperature of from 45.degree. to 200.degree. C. in the absence of a catalyst, the amount of peroxide P per millimole of the monohydric phenol being a value of from 0.01 to 0.50, said ketone peroxide being obtained by reaction of hydrogen peroxide and a ketone selected from the group consisting of (i) and (ii), following:
- i. a ketone having 3-20 carbon atoms represented by the following formula:
- R.sub.1 --CO--R.sub.2
- wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, which may be the same or different, and which represent straight or branched alkyl groups of 1-8 carbon atoms or a phenyl group, or
- ii. a cycloketone having the following formula: ##STR11## wherein n.sub.1 represents an integer of 4-11, inclusive, or a ketone peroxide derived from a secondary alcohol having the following formula:
- iii. a secondary alcohol having 3-20 carbon atoms and represented by the following formula: ##STR12## wherein R and R have the same meanings as above.
- 2. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein phenol is used as starting material.
- 3. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein a monohydric monoalkyl phenol having an alkyl radical with 1-6 carbon atoms is used as starting material.
- 4. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein a monohydric polyalkylphenol having the formula: ##STR13## wherein n represents an integer of 2-4 and Rs have the same meanings as in claim 1 and when n is 3 or 4, there is no case where all of 2-, 4-, and 6-positions are occupied with the alkyl radicals
- is used to obtain a dihydric polyalkylphenol having the formula: ##STR14## wherein R and n have the same meanings as above.
- 5. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reaction is carried out at a temperature of 45.degree. to 200.degree. C.
- 6. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein a ketone peroxide selected from 4-methyl-2-pentanone peroxide, methyl phenyl ketone peroxide, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide and cyclopentanone peroxide is used.
- 7. A process for preparing a dihydric phenol having the formula: ##STR15## wherein R represents a lower alkyl radical having 1-6 carbon atoms and each R may be the same or different, and n represents zero or an integer of 1 to 4 and when n is 3 or 4 not all of the 2-, 4- and 6-positions are occupied with the said alkyl radicals,
- which comprises oxidizing a monohydric phenol having the formula: ##STR16## wherein R and n have the same meanings as above, with a ketone peroxide at a temperature of from 45.degree. to 200.degree. C. in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid and a salt thereof and a sulfonic acid and a salt thereof, the amount of peroxide P per millimole of the monohydric phenol being a value of from 0.01 to 0.50, said ketone peroxide being obtained by reaction of hydrogen peroxide and a ketone selected from the group consisting of (i) and (ii), following:
- i. a ketone having 3-20 carbon atoms represented by the following formula:
- R.sub.1 --CO--R.sub.2
- wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, which may be the same or different, and which represent straight or branched alkyl groups of 1-18 carbon atoms or a phenyl group, or
- ii. a cycloketone having the following formula: ##STR17## wherein n.sub.1 represents an integer of 4-11, inclusive, or a ketone peroxide derived from a secondary alcohol having the following formula:
- iii. a secondary alcohol having 3-30 carbon atoms and represented by the following formula: ##STR18## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 have the same meanings as above
- 8. The process as claimed in claim 7 wherein an amount of catalyst used is not less than 0.0001% by weight with respect to the monohydric phenol.
- 9. The process of claim 7, wherein the cataylst is sulfuric acid.
- 10. The process of claim 7, wherein the catalyst is zinc sulfate.
- 11. The process of claim 7, wherein the catalyst is p-toluene sulfonic acid.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
49-37319 |
Apr 1974 |
JA |
|
49-49812 |
May 1974 |
JA |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 558,699, filed Mar. 17, 1975 now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3003000 |
Milas |
Oct 1961 |
|
3481989 |
Vesely et al. |
Dec 1969 |
|
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
558699 |
Mar 1975 |
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