REDUCING META CONTENT OF ISOMERIC MIXTURES OF HALO SUBSTITUTED TOLUENES

摘要

Disclosed is a method of separating the meta isomer of a halotoluene having general formula (I) from a mixture with at least one other isomer, where X is Cl or Br. About 0.0001 to about 5 wt% of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst is added to the mixture and the mixture is exposed to a brominating agent which preferentially brominates the meta isomer. The mixture is then heated at a temperature above the boiling point of the other isomers but below the boiling point of the brominated meta isomer.