Liquid-phase alkylation of phenol with long-chain olefins over WOx/ZrO2 solid acid catalysts

The liquid-phase alkylation of phenol with 1-dodecene was carried out over WOx/ZrO2 solid acid catalysts. The catalyst with 15% WO3/ZrO2 calcined at 800 °C, under the optimized reaction conditions of 120 °C, phenol/1-dodecene molar ratio 2 and time 2 h, gave >99% dodecene conversion with 90% selectivity to dodecylphenol. This catalyst also found to be an efficient catalyst for alkylation of phenol with other long-chain olefins like 1-octene and 1-decene.