GB1244456A - Preparation of aromatic aldehydes and the corresponding alcohols - Google Patents

Abstract

1,244,456. Preparation of aromatic aldehydes and the corresponding alcohols. RHONEPOULENC S.A. 4 March 1970 [5 March, 1969; 14 Jan., 1970], No. 10520/70. Heading C2C. Invention relates to a process for preparing a mixture of an aromatic aldehyde with the corresponding alcohol which comprises subjecting a hydroperoxide of the formula in which Ar represents a monovalent substituted or unsubstituted aromatic radical, in the liquid phase at a temperature between 20‹ and 180‹ C., to the action of a deperoxidizing catalyst comprising a metal salt the cation of which exhibits Bronsted acidity in aqueous solution or a metal oxide which, in aqueous solution, exhibits Bronsted acidity, an amount of water at least equal to that which is formed by the deperoxidation reaction being present in the reaction mixture throughout substantially the whole of the action. The symbol Ar may be a phenyl radical substituted by chlorine or a C 1 to C 4 alkyl, C 1 to C 4 alkoxy, nitrile or nitro group or by two C 1 to C 4 alkyl radicals. The catalyst may be a soluble halide, sulphate, nitrate, chromate, formate, acetate, oxalate, lactate, tartrate, arylsulphonate, benzoate, salicylate or glycerophosphate of an alkaline earth metal or of a metal of groups IV A , V A , VI A , VII A , VIII, I B , II B , III B , IV B and V B of the periodic classification of the elements according to Mendeleev, or an oxide of vanadium, manganese, rhenium, chromium, molybdenum or tungsten, which exhibits Bronsted acidity.