PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A 2-ALKYL-2-CYCLOALKENE-1-ONE

摘要

The present invention relates to a process for producing a 2-alkyl-2-cycloalken-1-one represented by the following general formula (2), including the step of reacting a 2-alkylidene cycloalkanone in the presence of a palladium and/or platinum catalyst which is treated in the following steps (a) and (b); and a method for activating the palladium and/or platinum catalyst including the following steps (a) and (b):
Step (a): activating the palladium and/or platinum catalyst in an atmosphere containing a hydrogen gas; and
Step (b): replacing the hydrogen gas being present as the atmosphere for the catalyst in the step (a), with an inert gas to remove the hydrogen gas out of the reaction system,
wherein m is 0 to 3; n is 1 or 2; R 1 and R 2 are each independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; and R 3 is an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms. In accordance with the present invention, the 2-alkyl-2-cycloalken-1-one can be produced with a high purity and a high productivity.