Process for the manufacture of bisphenols and polyphenols

Phenols of general formula I, in which the ring B may be fused to an aromatic or hydroaromatic ring or may be substituted by hydrocarbon, hydroxy or hydroxyaralkyl groups, are produced by reacting in presence of an acid catalyst a compound of isomeric formulae II with phenol which may be substituted or fused as indicated for ring B and which has at least one unsubstituted position ortho or para to the OH group. In examples, compounds of formula I were obtained containing substituents in ring B corresponding to the use of the following phenols:- phenol, resorcinol, om- and p-cresols, a - and b -naphthols, o-phenylphenol and 2:6-di-, 2:3:6-tri- and 2:3:5:6-tetra-methylphenols; also mentioned are the xylenols, o-, m- and p-ethylphenols, n-propyl-, n- and t-butyl-, o-allyl- and o-cyclohexylphenols, pseudocumenol, mesitol carvacrol, thymol, hydroquinone, catechol, 1:4-naphthohydroquinone, bis - (4-hydroxyphenyl) methane and bisphenol A. The usual acid catalyst are referred to, but HCl gas is preferred, as is use of a solvent medium. Specifications 757,752 and 903,062 are referred to.