Process for producing tricarboxylic acid tris (alkyl-substituted cyclohexylamide)

A process for producing a tricarboxylic acid tris(alkyl-substituted cyclohexylamide) represented by General Formula (3):

• wherein R1 is a C3 to C10 trivalent saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group, a C5 to C15 trivalent saturated alicyclic hydrocarbon group, or a C6 to C15 trivalent aromatic hydrocarbon group, and R2 and R3 are the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom or a C1 to C4 linear or branched alkyl group,
• the process comprising the step of subjecting a tricarboxylic acid represented by the following General Formula (1):
• wherein R1 has the same meaning as R1 in General Formula (3), and an alkyl-substituted cyclohexylamine represented by the following General Formula (2):
• wherein R2 and R3 have the same meanings as R2 and R3 in General Formula (3) to an amidation reaction
• (a) in the presence of a boric acid compound and a phenol compound, or
• (b) in the presence of a boric acid ester obtained by the dehydration condensation of a boric acid compound and a phenol compound,
• to obtain a crude tricarboxylic acid tris(alkyl-substituted cyclohexylamide).