PRODUCTION OF 3,3',5,5'-TETRAALKYL-4,4'-BIPHENOLS

摘要

PURPOSE:To advantageously obtain the titled compound, by emulsifying and dispersing a 2,6-dialkylphenol in water containing a specific surfactant and a small amount of a nonaqueous organic solvent and oxidizing the 2,6- dialkylphenol in the presence of an alkali metal phosphate and copper compound catalyst. CONSTITUTION:A compound expressed by formula I (R1 and R2 are 1-12C straight-chain or branched alkyl) is oxidized and dimerized to produce a compound, expressed by formula II and useful as a raw material for engineering plastics. In the process, the compound expressed by formula I is emulsified, dispersed in water containing a phosphoric acid ester based anionic surfactant having an added alkylene oxide and a small amount of a nonaqueous organic solvent and oxidized in the emulsified dispersion with oxygen or an oxygen- containing gas in the presence of an alkali phosphate having buffering action and copper compound catalyst while keeping the pH of the above-mentioned emulsified dispersion at >=10. Thereby the aimed compound is obtained in high conversion rate without using a special agitating apparatus and in one stage without disadvantages even if the raw material is sublimable.