Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the production of 2-coumarone or substituted 2-coumarones, whereby cyclohexanone or substituted cyclohexanone is reacted with a carboxyl-containing acylating agent a) to give methyl 2-(2-oxo-cyclohexyl)-2-hydroxyacetate or substituted methyl 2-(2-oxo-cyclohexyl)-2-hydroxyacetates, which are either a1) directly converted to 2-coumarone or substituted 2-coumarones by means of catalytic gas-phase dehydrogenation, or a2) dehydrated by means of azeotropic distillation under basic conditions, or by use of a strong acid, or a strongly acidic ion exchanger to a mixture of methyl 2-oxocyclohexylidenacetate and the enol-lactone of the 2-oxocyclohexylidenacetic acid, or a mixture of substituted methyl 2-oxocyclohexylidenacetate and the enol-lactone of the substituted 2-oxocyclohexylidenacetic acid, which is finally converted in turn by catalytic gas-phase dehydrogenation to 2-coumarone, or substituted 2-coumarones, or b) are directly converted under acidic or basic conditions into a mixture of methyl 2-oxocyclohexylidenacetate and the enol-lactone of 2-oxo-cyclohexylidenacetic acid, or a mixture of substituted methyl 2-oxocyclohexylidenacetate and the enol-lactone of the substituted 2-oxo-cyclohexylidenacetic acid, which is finally converted in turn by catalytic gas-phase dehydrogenation into 2-coumarone or substituted 2-coumarones.