Process for preparing 3-(N,N-disubstituted amino)phenol

A process for preparing a 3-(N,N-disubstituted amino)phenol represented by formula (1):

• ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkoxyalkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group;
• and R.sup.2 is an alkyl group or a cycloalkyl group,
• said process comprising the following steps (a) to (d):
• (a) the step of reacting resorcin with a primary amine represented by formula (2):
• R.sup.1 NH.sub.2 ( 2)
• wherein R.sup.1 is the same as defined above, and then terminating the reaction when the conversion of resorcin is 50 mol % or more and when the amount of an N,N'-disubstituted-m-phenylenediamine as a by-product is 2 mol % or less of the amount of used resorcin, thereby obtaining a reaction mixture including a 3-(N-monosubstituted amino)phenol,
• (b) the step of adding an alkyl halide represented by formula (3):
• R.sup.2 X (3)
• wherein R.sup.2 is the same as defined above;
• and X is a halogen atom,
• to the reaction mixture obtained in step (a) to obtain a reaction mixture including the 3-(N,N-disubstituted amino)phenol,
• (c) the step of adding an aqueous alkaline solution to the reaction mixture obtained in step (b) to dissolve unreacted resorcin in the aqueous alkaline solution, and extracting the 3-(N,N-disubstituted amino)phenol with an organic solvent, and
• (d) the step of recovering unreacted resorcin from the aqueous alkaline solution layer of step (c).