1. A process for the ortho-alkylation of phenols by reaction of a phenol with an alkanol in the gaseous phase and in the presence of a catalyst which is obtained by impregnation of an aluminium oxid with a solution of an alkaline earth metal salt and subsequent calcination characterized in that the catalyst contains 0,01 to 0,1 millimole of alkaline earth metal per gram of aluminium oxid and that the reaction is conducted at temperatures in the range of 250 - 400 degrees C and at a liquid hourly space velocity in the range of 0,5 - 2h**-1 .
