Patent · US Expired

Method for preparing a 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and derivatives

US6184421A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
2References
46Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 13, 1999
Grant dateFeb 6, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 13, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC07C51/235
  • WIPO fieldOrganic fine chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The present invention concerns a process for the preparation of a 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and its derivatives. More particularly, the invention concerns the preparation of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, respectively known as vanillin and ethylvanillin. The process for the preparation of a 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and its derivatives is characterized in that it consists of selectively oxidising, to a carboxy group, the group in the 2 position with respect to the hydroxyl group, present in the phenolic compounds in a mixture comprising at least a phenolic compound (A) carrying formyl and/or hydroxymethyl groups in the 2 and 4 position, a phenolic compound (B) carrying a formyl or hydroxymethyl group in the 4 position, a phenolic compound (C) carrying a formyl or hydroxymethyl group in the 2 position, resulting in a mixture comprising a 3-carboxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, a 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and a 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, which then undergoes a decarboxylation operation to produce the 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and a phenol which can optionally be recycled.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.