Patent ID: 6013844
Filing Date: 2000-01-11
Classification: B01J,C07C

Abstract:
A process for preparing catechol monoethers or catechols of the formula Ia or Ib ##STR6## where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are, independently of one another, hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -hydrocarbon radicals, and R.sup.3 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -hydrocarbon radical, which comprises reacting a 2-hydroxycyclohexanone dialkyl ketal of the formula II or a 2-alkoxycyclohexanone of the formula III ##STR7## a) in the gas phase in the presence of palladium on zirconium oxide as catalyst, wherein the catalyst has a BET surface area of from 10 to 300 m.sup.2 /g of catalyst and a pore volume in the range from 0.1 to 1 ml/g of catalyst, to obtain compounds Ia orb) carrying out stage a) in the presence of water to obtain compounds Ib.