Process for preparing a hydroxy group functionalized thioether

A compound A of formula (III) or (IV)

• wherein
• Y1 is C1-C18-alkyl substituted with OH, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, halogen, NR6R7, C3-C18-cycloalkyl, C6-C18-aryl, or C2-C18-heteroaryl, and/or interrupted with —O—, —S—, —SO—, —SO2—, —COO—, —OCOO—, —CO—, C3-C18-cycloalkylene, C6-C18-arylene, or C2-C18-heteroarylene;
• C3-C18-cycloalkyl;
• C3-C18-cycloalkyl substituted with OH, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, halogen, or NR8R9, and/or interrupted by O or S;
• C6-C18-aryl;
• C6-C12-aryl substituted with C1-C12-alkyl, OH, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, halogen, or NR10R11;
• C2-C18-heteroaryl, or C2-C18-heteroaryl substituted with C1-C12-alkyl, OH, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, halogen, or NR12R13;
• X is C2-C12-alkylene or C2-C12-alkylene substituted with C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, and/or interrupted with O or S;
• R1, R2, and R3 are independently of one another hydrogen or C1-C4-alkyl;
• R4 and R5 are independently of one another and at each occurrence hydrogen, C1-C18-alkyl, C1-C18-alkyl substituted with halogen or interrupted with O or S;
• C6-C18-aryl or C6-C12-aryl substituted with C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, or halogen;
• R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, and R13 are independently of one another and at each occurrence C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkyl substituted with OH, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, or halogen;
• C6-C10-aryl or C6-C10-aryl substituted with OH, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, or halogen;
• or
• R6 and R7, R8 and R9, R10 and R11, or R12 and R13 together are C4-C6-alkylene or C4-C6-alkylene interrupted by O, S, and/or NR14;
• R14 is C1-C4-alkyl;
• m is at each occurrence 1 to 12;
• Y2 is a n-valent linking group;
• and
• n is an integer of 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6,
• provided that R4 and R5 are not simultaneously H.

A compound A of formula (IV)

• wherein
• R1 and R2 are hydrogen, and R3 is hydrogen or C1-C4-alkyl;
• and
• X is C2-C6-alkylene or C2-C6-alkylene interrupted with O or S;
• R4 is hydrogen and R5 is at each occurrence hydrogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkyl substituted with halogen or interrupted with O or S;
• or phenyl;
• Y2 is a n-valent linking group;
• m is 2 to 6, and
• n is an integer of 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.