Patent ID: 7544843

Claim:
Process for the synthesis of compounds of formula (I) wherein X 1 and X 2 , the same or different from one another, represent hydrogen, linear or branched C1-C8 alkyl, with the proviso that at least one of X 1 and X 2 is different from hydrogen, or (OX 1 ) and (OX 2 ), taken together, form a —O-T-O— group where T is a C1-C3 alkylene optionally substituted with C1-C5 alkyl, comprising treating a compound of formula (II) where X 1 and X 2 have the aforesaid meanings, with formaldehyde in the presence of an oxidation catalyst chosen from aluminium alkoxides, zirconiums, hydrotalcites, and zirconium alkoxides.