Process for preparing 3-(N,N-disubstituted amino)phenol

摘要

A process for preparing a 3-(N,N-disubstituted amino)phenol is herein disclosed which comprises reacting resorcin with a primary amine represented by formula (2):R1NH2(2)wherein R1 is an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkoxyalkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group, terminating the reaction when the conversion of resorcin is 50 mol % or more and when the amount of an N,N'-disubstituted-m-phenylenediamine as a by-product is 2 mol % or less of the amount of used resorcin, adding an alkyl halide represented by formula (3):R2X(3)wherein R2 is an alkyl group or a cycloalkyl group; and X is a halogen atom, to the obtained reaction mixture, adding an aqueous alkaline solution to the resultant reaction mixture to dissolve unreacted resorcin in the aqueous phase, extracting the 3-(N,N-disubstituted amino)phenol with an organic solvent, and then recovering unreacted resorcin from the aqueous phase. According to this process, the high-purity 3-(N,N-disubstituted amino)phenol can be prepared from resorcin in a substantially high yield, the production of by-products being inhibited.