Production of phenols

摘要

Phenols are prepared by decomposing secondary aromatic hydroperoxides in the presence of a compound comprising at least one metal atom or cation or at least one non-metallic cation and at least one moiety derivable from an anion of the formula I wherein S is a sulphur atom; Y represents an atom of sulphur or oxygen, or a group of the formula =V-R' wherein V represents an atom of nitrogen or phosphorus and R' is a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group; and X is a group of the formula wherein each R represents a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group and recovering the required phenol or substituted phenol from the decomposition product.