Ethyl Corporation

Jeffrey F King

Charles W Matthews

Eric S Batman

Steven L Wiker

Aluminum phenoxide catalyst is removed from a phenolic alkylation mixture by adding 15-30 moles of water per mole of aluminum phenoxide to the alkylation mixture and holding at about 30.degree.-100.degree. C. for 10-60 minutes to form solids and heating the wet mixture to 120.degree.-160.degree. C. and holding at that temperature until filterable particulates form. The particulates can be readily filtered to obtain a substantially aluminum-free filtrate.

Aluminum phenoxide catalyst removal

Phenol is di-orthoalkylated in high yield by reacting, in a first stage, phenol containing only 1 mole of an aluminum phenoxide for each 100-800 moles of phenol with an olefin at 85.degree.-175.degree. C. until the reaction mixture contains 3 wt percent or less phenol and then, in a second stage, continuing the reaction at 25.degree.-80.degree. C. until the mixture contains a substantial amount of 2,6-di-alkylphenol.

Phenol alkylation process

Phenols are selectively orthoalkylated in higher yields by the reverse addition of a phenol-aluminum phenoxide mixture to an olefin at alkylation temperature and under pressure sufficient to maintain a liquid olefin phase.

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Orangeburg, SC, United States of America

Jeffrey F King