Patent ID: 7985825

Claim:
A process for preparing an ether of an aromatic acid, the ether being described by the structure of Formula I wherein Ar is a C 6 ˜C 20 monocyclic or polycyclic aromatic nucleus, R is a univalent organic radical, n and m are each independently a nonzero value, and n+m is less than or equal to 8; comprising (a) contacting a halogenated aromatic acid such as is described by the structure of Formula II wherein each X is independently Cl, Br or I, and Ar, n and m are as set forth above, with (i) a polar protic solvent, a polar aprotic solvent or an alcoholic solvent containing the alcoholate RO − M + (wherein M is Na or K), wherein the polar protic solvent, polar aprotic solvent or alcoholic solvent is either ROH or is a solvent that is less acidic than ROH; (ii) a copper (I) or copper (II) source; and (iii) an amino acid ligand that coordinates to copper, wherein the ligand comprises an amino acid in which the amine nitrogen and the carboxyl carbon are separated by no more than two carbon atoms; to form a reaction mixture; (b) heating the reaction mixture to form the m-basic salt of the product of step (a), as described by the structure of Formula III; (c) optionally, separating the Formula III m-basic salt from the reaction mixture in which it is formed; and (d) contacting the Formula III m-basic salt with acid to form therefrom an ether of an aromatic acid.