Process for the preparation of o-cresol and 2,6-xylenol

摘要

0-cresol and 2,6-xylenol are prepared by flowing a gaseous stream of methanol and phenol in a molar ratio of phenol to methanol of from 1:1 to 1:9 through a fluidized bed of alumina particles at a temperature of from 200° to 400° C., said alumina being in the eta, gamma or chi crystallographic form, having a surface area of from 100 to 500 m.sup. 2 /g and an overall pore volume of from 0.3 to 0.6 ml/g and having been pre-treated with a stream of air or inert gas at a temperature of the order of 500° C. for at least 2 hours.P P CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS