potassium hydroxide

The kinetics of catalytic alkylation of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol (ArOH) with methyl acrylate (MA) in the presence of potassium 2,6-di-tert-butylphenoxide (ArOK) depends on the method for the preparation of ArOK. The reaction of ArOH with KOH at temperatures > 453 K affords monomeric ArOK, which properties differ from those in the case of potassium 2,6-di-tert-butylphenoxide synthesized by the earlier methods. The regularities of ArOH alkylation depend on the ArOK concentration, the ArOH:MA ratio, and the effect of microadditives of polar solvents.

The determining factor of the reaction of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol with alkaline metal hydroxides is temperature, depending on which two types of potassium or sodium 2,6-di-tert-butyl phenoxides are formed with different catalytic activity in alkylation of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol with methyl acrylate. More active forms of 2,6-But2C6H3OK or 2,6-But2C6H3ONa are synthesized at temperatures higher than 433 K representing predominantly monomers of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenoxides which produce dimers when cooling.