Catalytic Synthesis of 1,3-Hydroxybenzaldehyde from Oxidization of 1,3-Cresol

1,3-Hydroxybenzaldehyde was synthesized by the oxidation of 1,3-cresol with catalysts. The activity of different catalysts, the properties of the assistants, and the effects of reaction condition on the catalysis were compared. The results show that when fresh cobalt acetate was used as the catalyst (3.8%), ammonium bromide as the assistant catalyst (2%), methanol as the reaction medium, in the presence of sodium hydroxide, with the ratios of the raw materials being: m(1,3-cresol): m (methanol): m (sodium hydroxide) = 1:3-4:1-1.5, reacting for 10 hours in oxygen at 80deg.C, the conversion rate of 1,3-cresol was 80% and the productivity of 1, 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde was 72%. The unreacted 1,3-cresol can be recovered, with the recovering rate of 1,3-cresol being 95%. 4 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.