Ciba Specialty Chemicals Corporation

Werner Kanert

Victor Paul Eliu

Adriano Indolese

Anita Schnyder

Julia Volkel

Ian J Fletcher

Peter Baumeister

Philipp Wyser

A process for the production of a fluorescent whitening agent of formula: ##STR1## in which X and Z are as defined herein, comprising A) rearranging a hydrazobenzene compound having the formula: ##STR2## in which Z is as defined herein, to produce in situ a compound having the formula: ##STR3## B) diazotising the compound of formula (3) to produce a compound having the formula: ##STR4## in which Z has its previous significance and G.sub.1 is a counter ion; and C) reacting the compound of formula (4) with 2 moles of a compound having the formula: ##STR5## in which X and n have their previous significance, in the presence of an inorganic or organic palladium salt, or a mixture thereof, as catalyst-precursor, to produce a compound having the formula (1).

Process

A process for the production of compounds useful as fluorescent whitening agents of formula: ##STR1## in which X and Y, are as defined herein and n is 1 or 2, comprises A) diazotising one mole of an amine of formula: ##STR2## (2A) to produce a diazonium compound of the formula: ##STR3## (2) in which G.sub.1 is a counter ion; and diazotising one mole of an amine of formula: ##STR4## (3A) to produce a diazonium compound having the formula: ##STR5## (3); and B) reacting one mole of a divinyl compound having the formula: ##STR6## (4) with one mole of a compound having the formula (2) and with one mole of a compound having the formula (3), in the presence of an inorganic or organic palladium salt, or a mixture thereof, as catalyst-precursor.

Process for the production of distyryl-biphenyl compounds

The present invention provides a process for the production of a compound of formula: ##STR1## in which X and Y, independently, are hydrogen, halogen, NO.sub.2, CF.sub.3, CN, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, COO--C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, CO--C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, NH--(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl), N(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl).sub.2, NH(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl-OH), N(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl-OH).sub.2, COOH or SO.sub.3 H or an ester or amide thereof, or COOM or SO.sub.3 M in which M is Na, K, Ca, Mg, ammonium, mono-, di-, tri- or tetra-C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylammonium, mono-, di- or tri-hydroxyalkylammonium or ammonium that is di- or tri-substituted with a mixture of C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl and C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 hydroxyalkyl groups;

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Hegenheim, France

Werner Kanert