Process for the preparation of 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethylpent-1-ene-3-one

A process for the production of Phenyl aldol comprising:

• (a) reacting p-chlorobenzaldehyde and pinacolone in the presence of a base and a phase transfer catalyst to form a reaction mixture comprising an organic phase and an aqueous phase, wherein said pinacolone may optionally be present in a stoichometric excess of the amount necessary to react with said p-chlorobenzaldehyde;
• (b) optionally neutralizing said reaction mixture with an acid to a pH of about 7 to about 10;
• (c) separating said aqueous phase from said organic phase,
• (d) distilling said reaction mixture, wherein
• (i) if said distilling step is performed before said separating step, both said aqueous phase and said organic phase are subjected to a steam distillation process to recover any excess of said pinacolone;
• (ii) if said distilling step is performed after said separating step, said organic phase is subjected to a distillation process to remove any excess of said pinacolone;
• and
• (e) recovering said Phenyl aldol as the organic phase remaining after said distillation process,
• wherein said pinacolone is present in a mole ratio of about between about 0.5 moles of said pinacolone for each mole of said p-chlorobenzaldehyde to about 10 moles of said pinacolone for each mole of said p-chlorobenzaldehyde,
• wherein said base is present in a molar ratio of about 0.05 moles of said base for each mole of said p-chlorobenzaldehyde to about 5 moles of said base for each mole of said p-chlorobenzaldehyde,
• wherein said phase transfer catalyst is present in a molar ratio of about 0.0001 moles to 1.0 mole of said catalyst per mole of said p-chlorobenzaldehyde,
• wherein said reacting step occurs in the temperature range between about 0° C. and the reflux temperature of said reaction mixture.