To produce the subject compound with a simple procedure in high yield by using a vinylphenol Which is a new starting raw material easily available on an industrial scale and oxidizing the raw material in the presence of a specific catalyst.
A vinylphenol of formula I is oxidized in an aqueous medium in the presence of a catalyst composed of palladium or a palladium compound and a redox metal compound to obtain a hydroxyacetophenone of formula II (e.g. the compound of formula III). The palladium or the palladium compound to be used as the catalyst is preferably metallic palladium, palladium chloride, palladium bromide, etc., and the redox metal compound is preferably cuprous chloride, cupric chloride, cupric nitrate trihydrate, etc. Especially, the redox metal compound is a mixed coordination heteropoly acid containing phosphorus or silicon as the center atom and vanadium, molybdenum or tungsten as the coordination atom. The compound of formula II is useful as an intermediate for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, etc.
IDAI TSUTOMU
OMORI HIDEKI
MATSUMOTO MASAO
