PROCESS FOR PRODUCING AROMATIC HYDROXYLIC COMPOUND.

摘要

A process for producing an aromatic hydroxylic compound represented by the general formula Ar-(OH)n (wherein Ar represents an n-valent aromatic hydrocarbon group; and n represents an integer of 1 or 2), by the acidic decomposition of a hydroperoxide represented by general formula (I); (wherein Ar and n are each as defined above) in the presence of an acid catalyst selected from among tetrafluoroboric, hexafluorosilicic and hexafluorophosphoric acids. The process enables an aromatic hydroxyclic compound to be produced in a high yield while suppressing the formation of hydroxy-acetone as a by-product. An effective suppression of the by-product formation and a higher yield of the target compound can be achieved by conducting the acidic decomposition in two stages, i.e. the first stage wherein the reaction is conducted in the first reactor at a temperature of 50-95 DEG C and the resulting reaction mixture is sent to the second reactor, and the second stage wherein the reaction is conducted at a temperature of 80-120 DEG C.