Abstract: | The preparation of 2,6-dibromophenol is described. This compound, useful as raw material for brominated poly(phenyleneoxide) and pyrogallol or derived pharmaceuticals/pesticides, was prepared in 80% (isolated) yield by a transalkylation reaction between tetrabromobisphenol-A and toluene. The catalyst, trifluoromethanesulphonic acid, can be simply recovered and recycled. Perfluorinated resin sulphonic acid (NAFION-H®, DuPont) did not effectively catalyse this transalkylation. |