# US 9,434,668 B1 · Process for the production of tertiary butyl phenols

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- Number: US 9,434,668 B1
- Document ID: US9434668B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 14/955,607
- Filed: 2015-12-01
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-04-09
- Assignees: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
- Applicants: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
- Inventors: Praveen Kumar Khatri; Suman Lata Jain; Indrajit Kumar Ghosh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434668B1

## CPC

- C07C 37/11: by reactions increasing the number of carbon atoms
- Y02P 20/584: Recycling of catalysts
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved process for the selective alkylation of phenols by reacting it with methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) using polymer supported carbon composite acidic catalyst under mild to moderate conditions at atmospheric pressure. The process is economically viable since the catalyst regenerated after the initial reaction on further use gives the para tertiary butyl phenol (PTBP) in high yield.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An improved process for production of tertiary butyl phenols by selective alkylation of phenols by reacting said phenols with methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in the molar ratio 1:1 to 1:5 using sulfonic acid functionalized polymer supported carbon composite solid acid catalyst in 0.5-10 wt % with respect to total weight of phenol and MTBE, under the temperature in the range of 100-160° C. at atmospheric pressure for 1 to 5 h, provided more than 99% conversion with 70-80% selectivity for the p-tert. butyl phenol with the facile recovery and recycling of the recovered catalyst for at least seven runs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein phenol to MTBE molar ratio is in the range 1:1 to 1.5:1.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solid acid catalyst was used in 2 to 5 wt % with respect to total weight of phenol and MTBE.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reaction is carried out at a temperature range of 110-150° C.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the reaction results in more than 99% conversion of MTBE with the selectivity for desired PTBP in the range of 70-80%.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solid acid catalyst was easily recovered by simple filtration and subsequently used for recycling experiments.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recovered catalyst showed consistent catalytic activity at least for seven runs.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the MTBE is directly reacted with phenol, without requiring an intermediate step of forming alkyl-tert-butyl ether.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein phenol to MTBE molar ratio is in the range 1:1 to 1.2:1.

### Claim 10 (depends on 4)

The process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the reaction is carried out at 140° C.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The process as claimed in claim 5, wherein the reaction results in more than 99% conversion of MTBE with the selectivity for desired PTBP in the range of 75-80%.