Patent ID: 8129570

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a compound of formula by aldol condensation, in an aqueous reaction medium, between a glyoxal of formula and an α-hydroxy ketone of formula wherein each R 1 represents, simultaneously or independently from each other, a linear or branched C 1 to C 5 alkyl radical, with the aqueous reaction medium having a pH of between 0 and 6, and with the process carried out at a temperature of between 50° C. and the reflux temperature of the aqueous medium and in the absence of catalysts of formula FeX 3 or MX 2 , wherein M is Zn 2+ , Mg 2+ , Cu 2+ , Fe 2+ or Ca 2+ and X is a C 1 -C 7 carboxylate, a halide or an acetylacetonate derivative of formula [R 2 COCHCOR 2 ] − , R 2 representing a C 1 -C 3 alkyl group or a phenyl group.