PRODUCTION OF 2-T-BUTYLHYDROQUINONE

PURPOSE: To provide a method for efficiently producing 2-t-butylhydroquinone. CONSTITUTION: This method for producing 2-t-butylhydroquinone comprises the steps of butylating hydroquinone in the presence of an aqueous solution of an acid catalyst in an organic reaction solvent; removing the aqueous solution of the acid catalyst from the reaction mixture to give an oil layer, adding the debutylated reaction product obtained by the step to the prepared oil layer and neutralizing with an alkali; recovering the organic reaction solvent from the neutralized oil layer by distillation, adding a mixed solvent of methanol and water to the prepared residue, crystallizing 2,5-di-t-butylhydroquinone and separating; recovering methanol from a separated crystallized mother liquor by distillation, adding the mixed solvent to the prepared residue, crystallizing 2-t-butylhydroquinone and separating; and debutylating 2,5-di-t-butylhydroquinone obtained by the separating process in the presence of an acid catalyst and adding the prepared reaction product to the oil layer in the removing process.