Preparation of hydroxyaromatic ethers

Claim 2

A process comprising contacting an acylaromatic ether with an oxidizing agent in the presence of a catalytic amount of an acid catalyst under reaction conditions such that the corresponding hydroxyaromatic ether is produced.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the acylaromatic ether is represented generally by the formula: ##STR5## wherein each R is independently H, halo, nitro, alkoxy, --CN, or lower alkyl; R' is H, lower alkyl, alkoxy or --CN; R'" is H or lower alkyl; and R" is H, lower alkyl, --CN or carboxyl, the carboxyl moiety being represented generally by the formula: ##STR6## wherein R'''' is H, lower alkyl or a glycol ether.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 wherein the oxidizing agent is hydrogen peroxide.

Claim 5

The process of claim 2 wherein R" is carboxyl, R' is lower alkyl, and R and R'" are H.

Claim 6

The process of claim 4 wherein R' and R'''' are methyl.

Claim 7

The process of claim 2 further comprising a solvent.

Claim 8

The process of claim 2 wherein the temperature is in the range of from about the freezing point to about the boiling point of the reaction mixture.

Claim 9

The process of claim 2 wherein from about 0.5 to about 5 equivalents of oxidizing agent are employed per mole of acylaromatic ether.

Claim 10

The process of claim 2 wherein the H 2 O 2 is employed as an aqueous solution.

Claim 11

The process of claim 2 wherein from about 0.001 to about 1 equivalent of acid is employed per mole of acylaromatic ether.

Claim 12

The process of claim 2 wherein R, R', R" and R'" are H.

Claim 13

A process comprising contacting methyl 2-(4-formylphenoxy)propanoate with aqueous H 2 O 2 in the presence of an acid catalyst under reaction conditions such that methyl 2-(4-hydroxyphenoxy)propanoate is formed.

Claim 14

A process comprising contacting methyl 2-(4-formylphenoxy)propanoate with aqueous H 2 O 2 in the presence of an acid catalyst under reaction conditions such that methyl 2-(4-hydroxyphenoxy)propanoate is formed.

Claim 15

The process of claim 12 wherein the process is conducted in a solvent.

Claim 16

The process of claim 13 wherein the acid catalyst is H 2 SO 4 .

Claim 17

The process of claim 13 wherein the solvent is a compound which contains at least one oxygen atom.

Claim 18

A process comprising contacting 4-methoxybenzaldehyde with H 2 O 2 in the presence of an acid catalyst under reaction conditions such that 4-methoxyphenol is formed.

Claim 19

A process comprising contacting 4-methoxybenzaldehyde with H 2 O 2 in the presence of an acid catalyst under reaction conditions such that 4-methoxyphenol is formed.

Claim 20

The process of claim 16 wherein the H 2 O 2 is aqueous H 2 O 2 .

Claim 21

The process of claim 17 wherein the process is conducted in a solvent.

Claim 22

The process of claim 18 wherein the acid catalyst is H 2 SO 4 .

Claim 23

The process of claim 18 wherein the solvent is a compound which contains at least one oxygen atom.