tert-Butylation of p-cresol over WOx/ZrO2 solid acid catalysts

The alkylation of p-cresol with tert-butanol was investigated using WOx/ZrO2 as catalysts. Under the optimised reaction conditions of 130 °C, tert-butanol/phenol molar ratio 3 and WHSV 4.3 h−1, the most active catalyst 15% WO3/ZrO2 calcined at 800 °C, gave 69.8% p-cresol conversion with selectivity to 2-tert-butyl-p-cresol 92.4%, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol 6.3% and p-cresol tert-butyl ether 1.3%.