Phenols and their production

A compound having the formula ##STR137## wherein p is 1, 2 or 3;

• and q is 0, 1 or 2 provided that p+q.ltoreq.3;
• R is a group of the formula ##STR138## and when p is 2 or 3, each group R may be the same or different and is present in the 2-, 4- or 6-position;
• n is an integer from 2 to 30;
• K is 1 or 2;
• Q is
• --COOR.sup.4 or --CONR.sup.4 R.sup.5 wherein R.sup.4 is (1) H;
• (2) a straight or branched chain alkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms;
• (3) divalent straight or branched chain alkylene having 2-20 carbon atoms;
• (4) a straight or branched chain alkenyl group having from 3 to 20 carbon atoms, (5) a cycloalkyl group having from 3 to 12 carbon atoms;
• (6) an aryl group having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted or is substituted by a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group;
• (7) an aralkyl group having from 7 to 13 carbon atoms;
• provided that when k is 2, the two carbon atoms to which the --COOR.sup.4 groups are attached are not adjacent to one another;
• and R.sup.5 is hydrogen or a straight or branched chain alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or R.sup. 4 or R.sup.5 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are each bonded may form a pyrrolidine, piperidine, morpholine or 2,5-dimethyl morpholine;
• R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are the same or different and each is straight or branched chain alkyl group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms and, when Q is CO.sub.2 R.sup.4, either R.sup.2 or R.sup.3 is optionally substituted by a --CO.sub.2 R.sup.4 group, the R.sup.4 groups being independent, or R.sup.2 or R.sup.3 may be so linked to the residue C.sub.n H.sub.2n+1-k that there is formed a C.sub.5 -C.sub.12 cycloalkylene residue substituted by the group --(CO.sub.2 R.sup.4).sub.k, the R.sup.4 groups being independent, wherein R.sup.4 and k are as previously defined;
• R.sup.1 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 straight or branched chain alkyl group, a C.sub.7 -C.sub.9 aralkyl group, halogen, CF.sub.3, SH, SR.sup.13, CO.sub.2 H, CO.sub.2 R.sup. 13, COR.sup.13, COC.sub.6 H.sub.5, CONH.sub.2, CN, SO.sub.3 H, SO.sub.2 NH.sub.2, PO(OH).sub.2, PO(OR.sup.13).sub.2, or NO.sub.2 wherein R.sup.13 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 straight or branched chain alkyl group, and, when O is 2, each R.sup.1 group may be the same or different;
• and provided that, when p is 1, R.sup.1 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl, k is 1, O is --COOR.sup.4 wherein R.sup.4 is H, and q is as previously defined, then n is not 2;
• and further provided that when k is 2 and p is 1 and the group R is in the para-position to the phenolic OH, then in such case
• (a) when O is --COOR.sup.4, R.sup.4 is other than straight or branched chain alkyl and unsubstituted or substituted phenyl, and
• (b) when O is --CONR.sup.4 R.sup.5, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are not both H;
• or a salt thereof with an organic or inorganic acid or base.