Process for preparation of an oxyacetic acid/hydroxyethyl ether compound

A process for the preparation of an oxyacetic acid/hydroxyethyl ether compound corresponding to the structure:

• ##STR14## wherein R either individually or independently of one another represents hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, aryloxy, halogen, alkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, carboxyl or nitro, or represents a benzene ring fused to the phenyl ring, comprising
• (a) preparing an alkali metal oxyacetate/hydroxyethyl ether compound corresponding to the structure:
• ##STR15## wherein R is as described above and A is an alkali metal cation, by contacting an aryloxyethanol corresponding to the structure:
• ##STR16## wherein R is as described above with oxygen in an aqueous alkaline reaction medium at a temperature range from 0.degree. C. to the boiling point of the reaction medium in the presence of a catalytic amount of a catalyst comprised of palladium, bismuth and carbon in the presence of a phenol corresponding to the structure:
• ##STR17## wherein R is as described above and p is 0, 1 or 2, (b) separating the oxyacetate/hydroxyethyl ether compound from the catalyst, and
• (c) preparing the oxyacetic acid/hydroxyethyl ether compound acid by contacting the separated oxyacetate/hydroxyethyl ether compound with a mineral acid.