Patent ID: 7411084

Claim:
A method of preparing an alkylated phenoxy containing compound from a phenoxy containing compound, the method comprises the steps of (a) alkylating the phenoxy containing compound with a dicarboxylate alkylating agent to form a dicarboxylated phenoxy containing compound, and (b) decarboxylating the dicarboxylated phenoxy containing compound to form the alkylated phenoxy containing compound, wherein the dicarboxylate alkylating agent has the formula wherein R 7 is a linear or branched C 7 -C 12 alkylene; R 7 is optionally substituted with C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkenyl, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, halogen, —OH, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, aryl, heteraryl, or vinyl; R 7 is optionally interrupted with aryl, heteroaryl, vinyl, oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur; R 8 and R 11 are independently C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl; and X is a suitable leaving group.