Manufacture of ortho-methyl anilines from ortho-amino benzyl sulfoxides

摘要

This invention relates to a process for the preparation of orthomethyl anilines from ortho-amino benzyl sulfoxides. An ortho-amino benzyl sulfoxide is converted to an ortho-amino benzyl halide by reaction with a nonoxidizing acid halide and is recovered from the reaction medium as an anilinium salt. After redissolving, the ortho-amino benzyl halide is hydrode-halogenated to form an ortho-methyl aniline.