EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF AMYL M-CRESOL

摘要

There is described a process for the preparation of amyl-m-cresol (AMC) which comprises the steps of; (i) reaction of m-cresol with valeric acid, or a derivative thereof, (to form m- cresol valerate (3-toluoyl valerate)); (ii) rearrangement, optionally in situ, of 3-toluoyl valerate in the presence of an oxoacid, provided that the oxoacid is not a carboxylic acid or nitric acid; and (iii) reduction of valeryl m-cresol (VMC), e.g. using a palladium on charcoal catalyst and hydrogen.