Fisons Ltd.

John Townend

Richard Hazard

Lewis J Baskeyfield

Simon D Pollock

John D Bell

There is described a process for the production of 6-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene of formula I, ##STR1## which comprises treatment of beta naphthol with an absorbant, removal of the absorbant and selective hydrogenation of the resulting beta naphthol, preferably in a solvent which is inert under the reaction conditions. There is also described a process for the production of a compound of formula I using a rhodium catalyst.

Method for the production of 6-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene

There is provided a process for the preparation of coumarin derivatives of the formula: ##STR1## (wherein R represents substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl or aralkyl, R.sup.1 represents alkanoyl, and the hydroxy and R.sup.1 substituents are ortho to one another) in which a hydroxy-substituted coumarin of the formula: ##STR2## is acylated in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst. The compounds of formula I are intermediates in the preparation of certain pharmaceutically-active chromones.

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Madeley Heath, near Crewe, undefined

John Townend