Process for the production of trimethylhydroquinone diesters and of trimethylhydroquinone

US5969176A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Degussa-Huels AG · DE

Inventors

• Steffen Krill · Mühltal, DE
• Horst Weigel · Rodenbach, DE
• Nongyuan Shi · Hanau, DE
• Hans Joachim Hasselbach · Gelnhausen, DE
• Klaus Huthmacher · Gelnhausen, DE
• Frank Hubner · Ober-Ramstadt, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 12, 1999
• Grant date: Oct 19, 1999
• Expiry date: Feb 12, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C67/00
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

An improved process for the production of 2,3,5-trimethylhydroquinone by rearrangement of 4-oxoisophorone (ketoisophorone, 3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1,4-dione) to yield a trimethylhydroquinone diester and the subsequent saponification thereof. Trimethylhydroquinone is in turn an important starting material for the production of vitamin E.