Process for producing 3, 4-Dihydroxybenzonitrile

摘要

3,4-dihydroxybenzonitrile useful as a starting compound for synthesis of medicines and agricultural chemicals is produced, with a high yield by chlorinating 3,4-methylenedioxybenzonitrile with sulfuryl chloride or a mixture of molecular chlorine with a chlorination-promoter including phosphorus trichloride, phosphorus pentachloride, sulfuryl chloride, thionyl chloride, and/or nitrosyl chloride, to prepare 2-chloro-benzoÄ1,3Üdioxole-5-carbonitrile, and hydrolyzing 2-chloro-benzoÄ1,3Üdioxole-5-carbonitrile by contacting it with water to produce 3,4-dihydroxybenzonitrile.