Patent ID: 7285688

Claim:
A process for preparing at least one phenol compound selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by a formula (3) and a compound represented by a formula (4): wherein R 1 represents a hydroxyl group, a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a straight or branched alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, R 2 represents a hydrogen atom, a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a straight or branched alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a halogen atom, n is an integer of 0 to 5, m is an integer of 0 to 5, n+m=0 to 5, a plural number of R 1 or R 2 may be the same or different from each other, R 3 represents a hydrogen atom, a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a straight or branched alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a halogen atom, p is an integer of 1 or 2 and q is an integer of 0 to 3, which comprises oxidizing at least one benzene compound represented by the formulae (1) and (2): wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , n, m, p and q have the same meanings as defined above, with a peroxide in the presence of a proton type β zeolite in which an acid site showing a desorption peak with a range of ±100° C. with a center of 330° C. exists in a spectrum measured by the ammonia temperature programmed desorption method (NH 3 -TPD), and an amount of a strong acid site showing a desorption peak of 500° C. or higher is controlled to 2.5 μmol/g or less, and in the presence of a ketone or a carboxylic acid.