PROCESS FOR PREPARING A PARA-LINEAR ALKYL-SUBSTITUTED HYDROXYAROMATIC COMPOUND

摘要

Disclosed herein is a process for preparing an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-linear mono-alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound. The process involves: (a) providing an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-di (alkyl-substituted)aromatic compound; wherein a first alkyi substituent is a C3 to C8 alkyl moiety and a second alkyl substituent is a C4+n to C8+n linear alkyl moiety, and further wherein the second alkyl substituent is at least one carbon atom greater than the first alkyl substituent; (b) subjecting the above isomeric mixture to oxidation conditions in the presence of an oxygen-containing source, converting the first alkyl substituent which is a C3 to C8 alkyl moiety to a hydroperoxide-containing substituted moiety; and (c) converting the hydroperoxide-containing substituted moiety to a hydroxyl moiety thereby providing an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-linear mono-alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound.