Process for preparing 2-allyl phenol

A process for preparing 2-allyl phenol from phenol comprising, the sequential steps of:

• a. reacting in situ a compound selected from the class consisting of an alkali metal hydroxide with the phenol to form an alkali phenoxide, the amount of said alkali metal hydroxide to said phenol ranging from about 1.0 to about 1.5 on an equivalent basis,
• b. carrying out said in situ reaction in a water miscible polar solvent, said polar solvent selected from the class consisting of alcohols having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms and diols having from 2 to about 4 carbon atoms,
• c. reacting said alkali phenoxide with allyl chloride in said polar solvent to form an allyl phenyl ether mixture containing various by-products,
• d. reacting said alkali metal phenoxide with said allyl chloride under autogenous pressure at a temperature of from about 20.degree. C to about 100.degree. C, the amount of said allyl chloride to said alkali phenoxide ranging from about 1.1 to about 1.5 equivalents,
• e. washing said allyl phenyl ether mixture with water,
• f. adding to said allyl phenyl ether mixture a non-polar hydrocarbon azeotropic solvent, said non-polar solvent being an aromatic having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms,
• g. azeotropically distilling off said non-polar hydrocarbon solvent and said various reaction by-products so that only said allyl phenyl ether remains, said azeotropically distillation occurring at a temperature slightly below the boiling point of said azeotropic non-polar solvent, the boiling point of said azeotropic non-polar solvent ranging from about 70.degree. C to about 140.degree. C, and
• h. thermally rearranging said allyl phenyl ether to produce 2-allyl phenol, said rearrangement occurring at a temperature of from about 160.degree. C to about 240.degree. C.