Preparation of ortho-alkylated phenols
AssigneeUop LLC
InventorsBruce E. Firth, Terry J. Rosen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Secondary or tertiary alkyl phenyl ethers may be induced to undergo thermal rearrangement on alumina, aluminum phosphate, or a silica-modified alumina as 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 with high regioselectivity and good control over the extent of alkylation.
Claims15
A method of rearranging a secondary alkyl or tertiary alkyl phenyl ether to an ortho-alkylphenol, where the alkyl group contains from 3 to about 20 carbon atoms, comprising contacting said ether with alumina, aluminum phosphate, or a silica-modified alumina at a temperature from about 75.degree. C. to about 175.degree. C. and recovering the orthoalkyl 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 containing from 3 to about 20 carbon atoms, heating the ether in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of alumina, aluminum phosphate, and silica-modified alumina at a temperature from about 75.degree. C. to about 175.degree. C., and recovering the formed ortho-alkylphenol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.