Alkylphenol synthesis using acid-modified inorganic clay catalysts

摘要

Disclosed is a one step method for synthesis of alkylphenols which comprises reacting phenol with the corresponding olefin under adiabatic conditions in the presence of a catalyst comprising an acidic montmorillonite clay having the structure:PPM.sub.x/n.sup. n+ ·yH.sub.2 O(Al.sub.4-x Mg.sub.x)(Si.sub.8)O.sub.20 (OH).sub. 4P Pwhere M represent the interlamellar (balancing cation, normally sodium or lithium) and x, y and n are integers, wherein the acidic clay has been pretreated with an acid and optionally has deposited thereon an acid selected from the group consisting hydrogen fluoride, a fluorosulfonic acid or a mineral acid, at a temperature of from 60° C. to 250° C. and a pressure of from near atmospheric to about 500 psi.