Process for the preparation of p-ethylphenol
First Claim
1. In a process for the preparation of a mixture of ethylphenol isomers which comprises reacting phenol with an ethylating agent selected from the group consisting of ethylene and ethanol in the vapor phase in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature of 200°
- -600°
C. under a pressure of not higher than 10 Kg/cm2.G, the improvement which comprises that said mixture of ethylphenol isomers has a p-ethylphenol content of higher than about 80 wt. % and said catalyst comprises a crystalline aluminosilicate catalyst obtained by incorporating one or more alkoxysilanes represented by the formula R'"'"'n Si(OR)4-n wherein OR represents an alkoxy group having 1-6 carbon atoms, R'"'"' represents an alkyl group having 1-6 carbon atoms or a phenyl group and n represents an integer of 0-3, on a crystalline aluminosilicate having a constraint index of 1-15 and a silica/alumina molar ratio of 20-400, the amount of said incorporated alkoxysilanes being not less than 1.4 wt. % calculated as elemental silicon based on the amount of said crystalline aluminosilicate.
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Abstract
A very simple process for preparing p-ethylphenol is disclosed. It is only necessary to contact phenol with an ethylating agent in vapor phase in the presence of a specific catalyst. The catalyst can be obtained by incorporating one or more alkoxysilanes to a crystalline aluminosilicte with a constraint index of 1-15 having a silica/alumina molar ratio of 20-400, wherein the amount of said alkoxysilanes to be incorporated is not less than 1.4 wt % calculated as silicon based on the amount of said crystalline aluminosilicate. Because the specific catalyst has the narrowed or restricted entrances of the micro pores of the crystalline aluminosilicate by the alkoxysilane treatment, it is possible to prepare p-ethylphenol in a high selectivity. The product contains only a very small amount of m-ethylphenol. The p-ethylphenol product obtained by the process of the present invention can be employed directly as raw materials for practical uses such as synthetic resins and antioxidants without m-ethylphenol elimination procedure.
53 Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a process for the preparation of a mixture of ethylphenol isomers which comprises reacting phenol with an ethylating agent selected from the group consisting of ethylene and ethanol in the vapor phase in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature of 200°
- -600°
C. under a pressure of not higher than 10 Kg/cm2.G, the improvement which comprises that said mixture of ethylphenol isomers has a p-ethylphenol content of higher than about 80 wt. % and said catalyst comprises a crystalline aluminosilicate catalyst obtained by incorporating one or more alkoxysilanes represented by the formula R'"'"'n Si(OR)4-n wherein OR represents an alkoxy group having 1-6 carbon atoms, R'"'"' represents an alkyl group having 1-6 carbon atoms or a phenyl group and n represents an integer of 0-3, on a crystalline aluminosilicate having a constraint index of 1-15 and a silica/alumina molar ratio of 20-400, the amount of said incorporated alkoxysilanes being not less than 1.4 wt. % calculated as elemental silicon based on the amount of said crystalline aluminosilicate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- -600°
Specification