Patent ID: 8901342

Claim:
A process for preparing an acyloxybenzoic acid of the formula (I) in which R 1 is a linear or branched, saturated alkyl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, a linear or branched, singly or multiply unsaturated alkenyl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, comprising the steps of a) reacting a carboxylic halide of the formula R 1 COHal, in which R 1 is defined above and Hal is a halide, with para-hydroxybenzoic acid in the presence of base, wherein the base is selected from alkali metal hydroxides, in a solvent mixture comprising water and at least one organic solvent, wherein the organic solvent is isopropanol, at a temperature ≦25° C. and a pH of 9 to 11.5, b) adjusting the pH of the reaction mixture after step a), at a temperature ≦25° C., to a pH of 6 to 8 by addition of acid, and c) subsequently heating the reaction mixture after step b) to a temperature of 35 to 80° C. and thereafter adjusting the pH of the reaction mixture to a pH of 1 to 4 by addition of acid.