PRODUCTION OF 4-TERT.-BUTYLCATECHOL

摘要

PURPOSE:To permit continuous and efficient production of the title compound which is useful as a polymerization-inhibitor through a flow process where catechol and inexpensive isobutylene oligomers free from the high-pressure gas regulation laws are brought into contact with a solid acid catalyst. CONSTITUTION:A mixture of catechol and isobutylene oligomers such as di- isobutylepe is brought into contact with a solid acid catalyst such as silica- alumina at 140 to 250 deg.C under pressure of 2 to 10 kg/cm<2> to give the objective 4-tert.-butylcatechol. The catalyst is preferably a synthetic silica-alumina containing 10 to 40wt.% of alumina. The oligomers are preferably dimer to pentamers isobutylene, particularly diisobutylene. The isobutylene oligomers are used in an amount of 0.5 to 2 moles per mole of the catechol.