Process for preparing 4-(2-(substituted)-1-(1-hydroxycyclohexyl)ethyl)phenols by O-demethylation of their methyl ethers using odor free aromatic thiols

摘要

The present invention relates to a process for preparing 4-(2-(substituted)-1-(1-hydroxycyclohexyl)ethyl)phenols of the general formula I, in which the symbols Re1 and Re2 represent hydrogen or methyl, by O-demethylation of their methyl ethers of the general formula II, in which the symbols Re1 and Re2 are as specified in the general formula I, through heating thereof to a temperature of 100 to 220 degC with at least one equivalent of an aromatic thiol in a solvent environment, wherein the reaction is carried out with the addition of a base and the aromatic thiol is odor free aromatic thiol, wherein the odor free substituted aromatic thiol is 2-methyl-5-tert-butylbenzenethiol, 4-dodecylbenzenethiol, 4-dodecyloxybenzenethiol, 4-octyloxybenzenethiol, 4-heptylbenzenethiol or 4-tetramehtylsilylbenzenethiol, or homologues thereof , isomers carrying branched groups instead of linear groups or isomers substituted with the same linear or branched groups in positions of the aromatic core lying nearer to a sulfur atom, or derivatives of these compounds substituted in one or more other positions with another carbon or alkoxyl radical.