PRODUCTION OF ARYL DIFLUOROMETHYL ETHER

PURPOSE:To prepare the titled compound by reacting an aromatic phenol with chlorodifluoromethane in a highly polar aprotic solvent in the presence of a basic catalyst, thereby suppressing the side reactions and facilitating the separation of the unreacted raw materials and the recovery and the reuse of the solvent. CONSTITUTION:The titled compound can be prepared by reacting an aromatic phenol with chlorodifluoromethane in a solvent in the presence of a basic catalyst (hydroxide, carbonate or bicarbonate of an alkali metal). The reaction is carried out using a highly polar aprotic solvent having a dielectric contant (epsilon) of >=15, dipole moment (mu) of >=2.5D, and an ET(30) value of 40-47 (a kind of solvent polarity parameter), e.g. DMSO, DMF, acetone, etc. in the resence of 1-4mol of a basic catalyst, based on 1mol of phenol, preferably at 50-120 deg.C. Since the amount of the basic substance is extremely low compared with conventional process, and the unreacted phenol is separated in the form of an insoluble salt with the basic substance, the load of waste water treatment can be remarkably reduced.