PURPOSE: To industrially advantageously produce the subject compound by alkylating a naphthalene compound with an olefin in the presence of a solid ultrastrong acid catalyst in a liquid state, further adding the naphthalene compound to the reaction product and subsequently subjecting the mixture to a transalkylation reaction on the same catalyst.
CONSTITUTION: A naphthalene compound is subjected to a liquid phase alkylation reaction using an olefin in the presence of a solid ultrastrong acid which has a high catalytic activity, has no corrosive property against reaction apparatus and is readily separated. The product is again mixed with the naphthalene and then subjected to a transalkylation reaction on the same catalyst to provide a β-alkyl-substituted naphthalene. The method permits the selective synthesis of the objective compound under a mild condition and in a short time. The method further permits the easy separation of the catalyst and the ready taking-out of the reaction product and does not require any specific installation. The objective compound is useful as an intermediate raw material for drugs, dyes, agricultural chemicals, synthetic resins, etc.
SAIMA HITOSHI
TAKAGI YOSHINORI
