Process for producing monoalkenyl aromatic hydrocarbon compound

Abstract

There is disclosed a process for producing a monoalkenyl aromatic hydrocarbon compound which comprises alkenylating a side chain of an aromatic hydrocarbon compound having at least one hydrogen atom bonded at .alpha.-position of the side chain (such as xylene) with a conjugated diene having 4 or 5 carbon atoms (such as butadiene) in the presence of a catalyst comprising the mixture obtained by heat treating metallic sodium together with an alkaline earth metal oxide containing a potassium compound in the atmosphere of an inert gas. According to the aforesaid process, a monoalkenyl aromatic hydrocarbon compound such as industrially useful monoalkenylbenzene can be produced in high yield at a low cost with enhanced safety from a specific aromatic hydrocarbon compound and a specific conjugated diene compound.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.