Preparation of ortho-alkylated phenols
AssigneeUop LLC
InventorsBruce E. Firth, Terry J. Rosen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Alkyl phenyl ethers may be induced to undergo thermal rearrangement on an alumina catalyst to afford the isomeric ortho-alkylphenol. Such rearrangement generally occurs under milder conditions than does the alkylation of a phenol with an olefin using the same alumina as an alkylating catalyst. Yields frequently are high with good selectivity.
Claims13
A method of rearranging a secondary alkyl or tertiary alkyl phenyl ether to an ortho-alkylphenol comprising contacting said ether with an alumina selected from the group consisting of halided aluminas, aluminas containing an alkali metal cation in the matrix, and silica-alumina containing up to about 75% silica, at a temperature from about 75.degree. C. to about 175.degree. C. and recovering the ortho-alkyl phenol.
A method of ortho-alkylating a phenol comprising converting the phenol to an alkyl phenyl ether, where said alkyl is a secondary or tertiary alkyl moiety, thermally rearranging the ether in the presence of an alumina catalyst at a temperature from about 75.degree. C. to about 175.degree. C., where the alumina is a halided alumina, an alumina containing an alkali metal cation in the matrix, or a silica-alumina containing up to about 75% silica, and recovering the formed ortho-alkylphenol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.