Catalytic isomerisation of o-cresol

摘要

A process for the catalytic isomerisation of o-cresol comprises reacting o-cresol at a temperature from 350 DEG C to 450 DEG C optionally under pressure in the presence of a catalyst comprising an acidic crystalline aluminium silicate zeolite of the ZSM group with a composition in the molar ratio 1+/-0.4 M2O/n:Al2O3:5-100 SiO2: 0.60 H2O where M is an n-valent cation. The process avoids substantial disproportionation which is a characteristic of known processes, and permits a selectivity of more than 95% to be obtained.