Process for producing alkylphenols

A process for producing an alkylphenol comprising reacting a phenol selected from the group consisting of o-cresol,, m-cresol, p-cresol, xylenol, ethylphenol, propylphenol, p-tert-butylphenol, p-tert-amylphenol, o-sec-amylphenol, octylphenol, nonylphenol, 2,6-methylphenol, 2,6-diethylephenol, 2,6-diisopropylphenol, 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, 2,6-di-tert-amylphenol and 2,6-di-sec-amylphenol and with an aldehyde selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, enanthaldehyde, acrolein, crotonaldehyde, hydroxy-aldehyde, salicylaldehyde, anisoaldehyde and vanillin and hydrogen in the presence of (a) an alkaline metal or alkaline earth metal catalyst selected from the group consisting of a hydroxide of an alkaline metal, a hydroxide of an alkaline earth metal, a carbonate of an alkaline metal, and a hydrogen carbonate of an alkaline metal and (b) a hydrogenation catalyst at a temperature of from 70.degree. to 130.degree. C. and at a hydrogen partial pressure of from 1 kg/cm.sup.2 -G to 95 kg/cm.sup.2 -G and with the ratio of the aldehyde to the phenol being from 1 to 6 mol of aldehyde per 1 mol of phenol.