Preparation of arylsulphonium salts

Claim 2

A process for the production of an arylsulphonium fluoride, comprising reacting an aromatic compound of the formula Ar--H in which Ar is an aromatic radical with a sulphoxide of the formula ##STR7## in which R 1 and R 2 each independently is an aliphatic or aromatic radical or, together, a divalent radical, in the presence of hydrogen fluoride.

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1, in which the compound Ar--H is a compound of the formula ##STR8## in which R 3 and R 4 each independently is a hydroxyl group or an alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, aroxy, alkylthio or arylthio radical, each R 5 independently is a halogen atom or an alkyl radical, p and q each independently is 0, 1 or 2, and R 3 and one or both of adjacent radicals R 4 and R 5 can together form a fused, cycloaliphatic or aromatic 5-membered or 6-membered ring.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 1, in which the sulphoxide is dimethylsulphoxide, diethylsulphoxide, methylphenylsulphoxide, (p-tolyl)-methyl-sulphoxide, (p-anisyl)-methylsulphoxide, (p.tert.butyl-phenyl)-ethylsulphoxide or tetrahydrothiophenoxide.

Claim 5

A process according to claim 1, in which the hydrofluoric acid has a hydrogen fluoride content of at least about 90% by weight.

Claim 6

A process according to claim 1, in which the hydrofluoric acid has a hydrogen fluoride content of at least about 95% by weight.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 1, in which about 2 to 10 parts of hydrofluoric acid are used per part by weight of the aromatic compound.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 1, in which about 2 to 5 parts of hydrofluoric acid are used per part by weight of the aromatic compound.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 1, in which the reaction is carried out at a temperature from about -80° to 150° C.

Claim 10

A process according to claim 3, in which the aromatic compound is at least one of toluene, o-, m- and p-xylene, naphthalene, α- and β-mono-and di-methyl and -ethyl-naphthalenes, anthracene, diphenyl, diphenylmethane, tetralin, indane, phenol, o-, m- and p-cresol, butylphenol, xylenol, resorcinol, pyrocatechol, hydroquinone, α- and β-naphthol, anisole, hydroquinonedimethyl ether, pyrocatechol monomethyl ether, α- and β-methoxynaphthalene, thioanisole, 4-hydroxy-thioanisole, o-, m- and p-chlorophenol, diphenyl ether, dibenzofurane, carbazole, acenaphthene, fluorene, cumene, mesitylene and o-, m-and p-cymene, the hydrofluoric acid has a hydrogen fluoride content of at least about 95% by weight, about 2 to 5 parts of hydrofluoric acid are used per part by weight of the aromatic compound and the reaction is carried out at a temperature of from about -80° to 150° C.