Process for preparing a cyclic diester or a cyclic diamide by reacting a hydroxycarboxylic acid or amide with an acidic bea-type (h-beta polymorph a) zeolite

A process for preparing a compound of formula (II)

• comprising
• (i) providing a mixture comprising a compound of formula (I)
• or a salt thereof;
• (ii) contacting the mixture provided in (i) with a catalyst comprising a zeolitic material, obtaining a mixture (ii) comprising the compound of formula (II);
• wherein
• X1 is O or NH,
• R1 and R2 are, independently of each other, H, C1-C10 alkyl, C2-C10 alkenyl, C2-C10 alkynyl, or C6-C12 aryl, each being optionally substituted by one or more of C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkyloxy, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, and C6-C12 aryl;
• Q1 is OH, OR3, NH2, Cl, Br, or I;
• R3 is C1-C10 alkyl or C6-C12 aryl, each being optionally substituted by one or more of C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkyloxy, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, and C6-C12 aryl;
• wherein the zeolitic material in (ii) has framework type BEA and wherein the framework structure of the zeolitic material comprises Si, Al, O, and H;
• wherein the zeolitic material has a total amount of acid sites in the range of from 0.25 to 1.0 mmol/g, wherein the total amount of acid sites is defined as the total molar amount of desorbed ammonia per mass of the zeolitic material determined according to the temperature programmed desorption of ammonia;
• wherein the zeolitic material has an amount of medium acid sites wherein the amount of medium acid sites is defined as the amount of desorbed ammonia per mass of the zeolitic material determined according to the temperature programmed desorption of ammonia;
• wherein the amount of medium acid sites is at least 40% of the total amount of acid sites.