Selective ortho alkylation of phenol with alcohols over catalysts derived from hydrotalcite-like anionic clays

The vapour phase alkylation of phenol with a series of alcohols containing different number of carbons ranging from C-1 to C-8 were investigated over catalysts derived from magnesium-aluminium hydrotalcite with Mg/Al atomic ratio 3 (MgAl 3.0-HT). The results indicated that at 623 K the catalytic activity for phenol conversion increased with increasing chain length of linear long chain alcohols to give 2-alkylated linear alkyl phenols, without any isomerisation of the alkyl moiety. Isomorphous substitution of Mg2+ by Cu2+ Or Ni2+ in, the MgAl 3.0-HT resulted in an increase in selectivity of 2-alkyl and 2,6-dialkylphenols (approximate to 60 %) in the alkylation of phenol with 1-hexanol or 1-octanol.