PREPARATION DE RESORCINOL ET DE RESORCINOLS SUBSTITUES PAR DESHYDROGENATION EN PHASE LIQUIDE, DE 1,3-DIONES CYCLIQUES DERIVEES DE LA CYCLISATION EN PHASE VAPEUR D'ESTERS D'ACIDES DELTA-CETOCARBOXYLIQUES

摘要

A process is disclosed for making resorcinol and substituted resorcinols by a first reaction step of vapor-phase cyclization of a delta-keto carboxylic acid ester over a carbon catalyst bed to form a 1,3-cyclic dione intermediate. The delta-keto ester is conveyed through the catalyst bed by a vaporized carrier characterized by being liquid at 25 DEG C. and having a sufficiently high boiling point that the vaporized carrier is easily condensable under ambient conditions. In a second reaction step, a liquid solvent containing the 1,3-cyclic dione intermediate is contacted with a supported noble-metal catalyst to form resorcinol or a substituted resorcinol.