Patent ID: 6822121
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for producing a 2-cyclohexenyl methyl ketone represented by the following formula (1b): wherein R1, R2 and R3 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group and at least two of R1, R2 and R3 represent a methyl group, or a 1-cyclohexenyl methyl ketone represented by the following formula (1c): wherein R1, R2 and R3 have the same meanings as defined above, or a mixture of the cyclohexenyl methyl ketones of the formulas (1b) and (1c), which comprisesisomerizing, in the presence of a catalyst, a 3-cyclohexenyl methyl ketone represented by the following formula (1a): wherein, R1, R2 and R3 have the same meanings as defined above, andoptionally distilling the mixture, wherein said catalyst is: an acid catalyst; or a basic catalyst, and wherein when said catalyst is said basic catalyst the isomerizing is conducted at a temperature of at least 100Â° C., wherein the basic catalyst is selected from the group consisting of potassium t-butoxide, potassium methoxide, sodium t-butoxide, sodium ethoxide, lithium t-butoxide, potassium hydroxide and sodium cyclohexylamide, and wherein the isomerizing is conducted in a solvent, and the solvent is selected from the group consisting of tetraethyleneglycol monomethyl ether, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylacetamide and cyclohexylamine.