Patent ID: 8692025

Claim:
A process for the preparation of m- or p-substituted phenylalkanols of the formula (I) in which R 1 is bonded to the phenyl ring in the m- or p-position and is C 1 -C 5 -alkyl, and R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and R 5 , independently of one another, are hydrogen or methyl, wherein an unsubstituted phenyl alkanol of the formula (II) in which R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and R 5 have the meanings given below formula (I) is alkylated together with a C 1 -C 5 -alkyl halide of the formula (III) R 1 -Hal (III) in which R 1 has the meaning given under formula (I) and Hal is halogen, in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst to give a mixture of m- and p-alkyl-substituted phenylalkanols of the formula (I), then the reaction mixture is worked-up, and the desired m-alkyl-substituted phenylalkanol of the formula (I) or the desired p-alkyl-substituted phenylalkanol of the formula (I) is separated off, the other formed products are returned to the reaction mixture and isomerized in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst to give the desired m- or p-alkyl-substituted phenylalkanol.