Patent ID: 8247621

Claim:
A process for making 2-secondary-alkyl-4,5-di-(normal-alkyl)phenols of Structure II, said process comprising the following steps: (i) contacting a 3,4-di-(normal-alkyl)phenol of Structure III with an alkene in the presence of a heterogeneous acid catalyst and optionally in the presence of a solvent at a first temperature in the range of about 70° C. to about 170° C. to produce a first reaction mixture comprising 2-secondary-alkyl-4,5-di-(normal-alkyl)phenol; wherein, in Structures II and III: R 1 is selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted phenyl; phenyl substituted with one or more linear or branched C 1 to C 6 alkyl groups; and linear or branched C 1 to C 9 alkyl groups; R 2 is selected from the group consisting of linear or branched C 1 to C 14 alkyl groups; R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and linear or branched C 1 to C 16 alkyl groups; wherein, the alkene contains 3 to 16 carbon atoms; wherein the heterogeneous acid catalyst is a macroreticular cation exchange resin containing sulfonic acid groups and having an acid capacity of at least 4 equivalents acid per kilogram; and (ii) heating the first reaction mixture at a second temperature in the range of about 120° C. to about 175° C. to produce a second reaction mixture comprising predominantly 2-secondary-alkyl-4,5-di-(normal-alkyl)phenol, wherein the second temperature is greater than or equal to the first temperature.