PURPOSE: To produce the titled compound in high yield, purity and quality, economically, by oxidizing phenanthrene in liquid phase using a specific organic solvent and catalyst, and recovering and recycling the by-produced tertiary alcohol and the organic solvent.
CONSTITUTION: A tertiary alcohol is oxidized with H2O2 in the presence of an acid catalyst and an organic solvent capable of forming azeotropic mixture with water, to obtain tertiary alkyl hydroperoxide. Phenanthrene is oxidized with said hydroperoxide in the presence of an organic solvent capable of forming an azeotropic mixture with water and a molybdenum-containing compound catalyst to obtain 9,10-phenanthrenequinone. The objective compound having a purity of as high as ≥90% can be produced only by the cooling and crystallization separation procedures. In the course of the oxidation reaction, the tertiary alcohol obtained by the decomposition of the hydroperoxide and the water produced by the reaction are recovered together with the organic solvent continuously from the system, and are recycled to the process for the production of the hydroperoxide.
KANEMURA HIDEO
ARAKI SHINICHI
SUGITA SHIGEO
TAKANOBU ETSUYA
KURATA NAOJI
NIPPON CATALYTIC CHEM IND
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