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Phenol Derivatives

“…In Japan, Ube Industries produces catechol together with hydroquinone by hydroxylation of phenol with ketone peroxides formed in situ from a ketone and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of an acid catalyst [310], [311]. The process is carried out by adding a trace amount of acid (e.g., sulfuric or sulfonic acid), a small volume of ketone, and 60 % aqueous hydrogen peroxide to phenol at 70 C. The ketone peroxide that is formed in situ reacts rapidly and electrophilically with phenol, and catechol and hydroquinone are obtained in a molar ratio of about 3 : 2 in more than 90 % yield (based on phenol reacted).…”

Phenol Hydroxylation and Related Oxidations

“…The catalyst used is a mixture of Fe 2+ and Co 2+ salts at a concentration level of a few parts per million. The reaction is catalyzed by H 2 SO 4 , and the phenol conversion is less than 5%, while selectivity to dihydroxybenzenes is close to 90% [24]. The main disadvantages were the low hydrogen peroxide selectivity, the formation of large quantities of tars, and -most importantly -the creation of only a small amount of resorcinol.…”