Process for making polyphenols

Claim 1

IN AN OXIDATIVE COUPLING PROCESS WHEREIN AT LEAST TWO PHENOLIC RINGS ARE DIRECTLY LINKED TO MAKE A POLYPHENOL BY THE REACTION OF AN OXIDIZING AGENT WITH A PHENOL HAVING AT LEAST ONE UNSUBSTITUTED AND REACTIVE RING POSITION OTHER THAN META TO THE PHENOLIC HYDROXYL, SAID PHENOL HAVING ONLY THE PHENOLIC HYDROXYL GROUP AS A FUNCTIONAL SUBSTITUENT, THE LIMPROVEMENT WHEREIN A REACTION MIXTURE CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF SAID PHENOL AND, AS THE OXIDIZING AGENT, THE CUPRIC SALT OF AN ORGANIC CARBOXYLIC ACID IS HEATED AT ABOUT 140*C. TO ABOUT 255*C., THEREBY FORMING A PRODUCT COMPRISING A POLYPHENOL AND THE CUPROUS SALT OF SAILD ACID, AND WHEREIN SAID ACID IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKANOIC ACIDS OF 2-12 CARBON ATOMS, ALKANEDICARBOXYLIC ACIDS OF 4-10 CARBON ATOMS, BENZOIC ACID, LOWER ALKYL BENZOIC ACIDS, BENZENE-DICARBOXLIC ACIDS, CYCLOHEXANECARBOXYLIC ACID, AND FUROIC ACID.