Process for producing 2,4-dichloro-3-alkyl-6-nitrophenol

Abstract

2,4-Dichloro-3-alkyl-6-nitrophenol, which is a precursor of 2,4-dichloro-3-alkyl-6-aminophenol useful for the production of a cyan coupler to be used with a sensitive material in the field of a photography in color, is industrially advantageously produced by (a) nitration of 2,4,5-trichloro-3-alkylbenzene, followed by hydrolysis of the resulting 2,4,5-trichloro-3-alkyl-6-nitrobenzene, or (b) hydrolysis of 2,4,5-trichloro-3-alkylbenzene-6-sulfonic acid or a salt thereof, followed by nitration of the resulting 2,4-dichloro-3-alkylphenol-6-sulfonic acid or a salt thereof, the starting material usable for these processes being 4-alkylbenzenesulfonic acid or a salt thereof, which is easily available.