GB719894A - Process for producing aralkyl hydroperoxides and the resulting aralkyl hydroperoxides - Google Patents

Abstract

In the preparation of aralkyl hydroperoxides by oxidizing aralkyl compounds of the formula <FORM:0719894/IV (b)/1> in which Ar is an aryl or alkaryl group, R1 a hydrogen atom or alkyl group and R2 an alkyl group, the aralkyl compound is first treated with an aqueous solution of a mercuric salt to render it more easily oxidizable and is then oxidized in the liquid phase with molecular oxygen. Suitably a solution in which the concentration of the mercuric salt is between 3 per cent by weight and saturation, preferably about 5 per cent, is used, and the aralkyl compound is repeatedly agitated with quantities of this solution which are between 3 and 20 per cent by volume of the aralkyl compound. One or more washings with a basic aqueous liquid such as aqueous sodium hydroxide may be interposed between the washes with the mercuric salt followed by a final washing with water. A suitable procedure comprises agitating the aralkyl compound for 8 periods of 10 minutes with quantities of 10 per cent by volume of fresh 5 per cent mercuric acetate solution, for two periods of 5 minutes with 20 per cent by volume of 2N sodium hydroxide and for two periods of 5 minutes with 20 per cent by volume of water. The aralkyl compound may, if desired, be pretreated with an alkylation catalyst such as sulphuric acid. In examples: (1) cumene is washed successively with 96 per cent sulphuric acid, water, caustic soda solution, mercuric acetate solution, caustic soda solution and water and is then oxidized by air to cumene hydroperoxide; (2) p-cymene is treated as in (1) and oxidized with oxygen to give p-cymene hydroperoxide; and (3) di-isopropyl benzene (mixed isomers) is treated as in (2) to give the hydroperoxide. Specifications 626,095, 630,286, 649,286, 663,445, [Group IV (a)], 705,640 and 719,895 are referred to.