PRODUCTION OF O-AMINOPHENOLS

PURPOSE:To obtain the subject compound useful as a developing agent for photography, etc., in one step and high yield, without separating intermediate, by subjecting salicylhydroxamic acids to Lossen rearrangement reaction. CONSTITUTION:The o-aminophenols of formula I can be produced from the compounds of formula II (V1-V4 are H, alkyl, halogen, nitro, carboxyl, etc.) by Lossen rearrangement reaction. The reaction is carried out e.g., by using 2-3mol-equivalent of KOH based on the compound of formula II, preparing the compound of formula IV without separating the compound of formula III and reacting the compound of formula IV, without separating from the system, at 50-100 deg.C, preferably 80-100 deg.C to obtain the compound of formula V. Without separating the product, it is made to react with 1-10mol-equivalent of KOH based on the compound of formula II to obtain the objective compound of formula I.