PURPOSE: To obtain the subject compounds for, synthesis of hydroquinone useful in photograph industry with a high selectivity without a problem of corrosion of metallic materials by reacting phenol with oxygen in the presence of a specified catalyst.
CONSTITUTION: Using copper oxide and boron oxide as the catalyst, phenol or a substituted phenol is reacted with oxygen (Pure oxygen, air or nitrogen- diluted oxygen is used as the oxygen source) usually at 0-150°C, preferably at 10-100°C to obtain the objective compound. The reaction pressure may be ordinary pressure, an applied one or a reduced one and the pressure of oxygen is usually 0.1-500kg/cm2G. In case of the non-substituted phenol, 20kg/cm2≤200kg/cm2 is preferable as the pressure of oxygen. In addition, the above-mentioned catalyst is produced, e.g. by a method where cuprous oxide or cuprous hydroxide is mixed with boron oxide. The atomic ratio of boron to copper is 0.01-100g atom boron based on 1g atom copper.
SUGIYAMA EIICHI
KUBOYAMA HISAHARU
TOKUMOTO SHUICHI
