Patent ID: 6884894

Claim:
A method for producing a catalyst composition which catalyzes the formation of bisphenols from aromatic hydroxy compounds and carbonyl containing compounds, said method comprising the step of attaching a poly-sulfur mercaptan promoter component to a solid acid support component comprising a protic acid functionality, said poly-sulfur mercaptan promoter component having the following structure (I), wherein R 1 is a benzimidazole functionality; wherein a is between about 0 and about 11; wherein b is between about 1 and about 11; wherein c is between about 1 and about 11; wherein d is between about 1 and about 5; wherein X is a linking functionality which is one member selected from the group consisting of a linear aliphatic chain comprising between about 1 and about 11 carbon atoms, a cyclic aliphatic ring comprising at least 5 carbon atoms, a cyclic aromatic ring comprising at least 6 carbon atoms, a cyclic aliphatic heterocycle comprising at least 3 carbon atoms, and a cyclic aromatic heterocycle comprising at least 3 carbon atoms; wherein Y is a linking functionality which is one member selected from the group consisting of a linear aliphatic chain comprising between about 1 and about 11 carbon atoms, a cyclic aliphatic ring comprising at least 5 carbon atoms, a cyclic aromatic ring comprising at least 6 carbon atoms, a cyclic aliphatic heterocycle comprising at least 3 carbon atoms, and a cyclic aromatic heterocycle comprising at least 3 carbon atoms; and wherein R 2 is one member selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen, a secondary aliphatic functionality, a tertiary aliphatic functionality, an ester functionality, a carbonate functionality, and a benzyl functionality which is attached via the benzylic methylene carbon.