| abstract |
PURPOSE: To readily provide the subject compound useful as an intermediate for herbicides in a high yield without causing problems such as waste waters or wastes by oxidizing a specific substituted toluene as a raw material with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalyst. n CONSTITUTION: A substituent toluene of formula I (W is H, halogen, CH 3 , CN, NO 2 , COOH, COOR, R 1 CO, R 1 S, R 1 SO 2 or R 2 O; Y and Z are halogen, CH, NO 2 , COOH, COOR 1 , R 1 S, R 1 SO 2 or R 2 O wherein R 1 is 1-10C alkyl; R 2 is 1-10C alkyl or phenyl) as a raw material is oxidized with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a metal compound catalyst such as iron formate, iron acetate or zirconium carbonate and, if necessary, a reaction accelerator comprising a bromine compound and a carbonyl compound to provide a compound of formula II (Q is H, halogen, CN, NO 2 , COOH, etc.). The reaction temperature is preferably 60-180°C. n COPYRIGHT: (C)1990,JPO&Japio |