The Dow Chemical Company

Wayne C Muench

Thad S Hormel

Lanny A Robbins

David H Louks

Leonard R Thompson

Pamela M Kirchhoff

Glen O Strand

Halogenated phenolic compounds are prepared by forming a low melting point complex of the phenolic compound and contacting the low melting point complex with a halogenating agent under halogenating conditions.

Preparation of halogenated phenols

A process is provided for the production of hydroxybenzyl alcohols, comprising condensing phenol with formaldehyde in an alkaline solution to form a mixture of ortho- and para-hydroxymethyl phenols, and solvent extracting unreacted phenol from the resulting alkaline hydroxybenzyl alcohol condensate solution. The phenol-reduced hydroxybenzyl alcohol condensate solution is particularly suited for treatment with excess caustic and subsequent oxidation of the resulting aqueous solution of ortho- and para-hydroxybenzyl alcohols-sodium salt to yield the corresponding ortho- and para-hydroxybenzaldehydes-sodium salt.

Process for the production of hydroxybenzyl alcohols

A noble metal catalyst, such as palladium, is activated by successive and sequential reactions with an alcohol, such as hydroxybenzyl alcohol, and oxygen or a gas containing oxygen in an aqueous, preferably alkaline, medium, The catalyst activated in the aforementioned manner is particularly useful for the oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes.

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Midland, MI, United States of America

Wayne C Muench