Oxidative decarboxylation of toluic acids to cresols

Abstract

The reported procedure for obtaining cresols from copper salts of toluic acids has been examined and certain improvements in yields have been obtained. It has been found that oxygen is preferable to the use of air in this reaction. The variables, oxygen flow rate, reaction temperature, reaction time and copper oxide concentration have been examined, and the effect on the percentage yields of cresols has been found. In the case of p-toluic acid, the molar yield of m-cresol could be raised to 70% while the molar conversion was 21-22%. For rn-toluic acid the molar yield was considerably lower.