METHODS FOR PREPARING CYCLOALKYLIDENE BISPHENOLS

摘要

A process for forming a cycloalkylidene bisphenol comprises: reacting a cycloalkanone compound of formula: (I) where [A] is a substituted or an unsubstituted aromatic group, R<1>- R<4> independently represent a hydrogen or a C1 -C12 hydrocarbyl group; and "a" and "b" are integers independently having values from 0 - 3; with an aromatic hydroxy compound of formula [A]-OH, where [A] is as previously described; at a mole ratio of greater than or equal to about 20, in the presence of a sulfonic acid type ion exchange resin catalyst crosslinked with greater than or equal to about 8 weight percent of divinylbenzene, and a promoter selected from the group consisting of a mercaptan compound and a resorcinol compound; to form a cycloalkylidene bisphenol of formula: (II) where [A], R<1> - R<4>, "a" and "b" are as previously described. Moreover, any acid catalyst can be used with a resorcinol promoter.