Method for producing multisubstituted biphenyl compound and solid catalyst to be used therein

1. A method for producing a multisubstituted biphenyl compound represented by the following formula (2), comprising:

a step of coupling a substituted benzene compound represented by the following formula (1) in the presence of a solid catalyst with gold immobilized onto a support, wherein the support is a metal oxide,

wherein R represents an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, a hydroxy group, or a carboxyl group which may be esterified, and n represents an integer of 0 to 3; when n is any integer of 1 to 3, a plurality of R may be the same or different from each other; and when n is any integer of 1 to 3 and both of two R bonding to adjacent carbon atoms are the carboxyl groups, these carboxyl groups may bond to each other to form an anhydride, and

wherein R represents an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, a hydroxy group, or a carboxyl group which may be esterified, and n represents an integer of 0 to 3; a plurality of n and R may be the same or different from each other; and when n is any integer of 1 to 3 and both of two R bonding to adjacent carbon atoms are the carboxyl groups, these carboxyl groups may bond to each other to form an anhydride.

2. The method for producing the multisubstituted biphenyl compound according to claim 1 , wherein the substituted benzene compound represented by the formula (1) is a substituted benzene compound represented by the following formula (1)′ and the multisubstituted biphenyl compound represented by the formula (2) is a compound represented by the following formula (2)′,

wherein R represents an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, a hydroxy group, or a carboxyl group which may be esterified, and m represents 0 or 1; when m is 1, two R may be the same or different from each other; and when m is 1 and both of two R are the carboxyl groups, these carboxyl groups may bond to each other to form an anhydride, and

wherein R represents an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, a hydroxy group, or a carboxyl group which may be esterified, and m represents 0 or 1; a plurality of m and R may be the same or different from each other; and when m is 1 and both of two R bonding to adjacent carbon atoms are the carboxyl groups, these carboxyl groups may bond to each other to form an anhydride.

3. The method for producing the multisubstituted biphenyl compound according to claim 1 , wherein the R in the formulae (1) and (2) is an alkyl group, a carboxyl group or an alkoxycarbonyl group.

4. The method for producing the multisubstituted biphenyl compound according to claim 2 , wherein the R in the formulae (1)′ and (2)′ is an alkyl group, a carboxyl group or an alkoxycarbonyl group.

5. The method for producing the multisubstituted biphenyl compound according to claim 2 , wherein m in the formulae (1)′ and (2)′ is 1, and a production ratio (s/a ratio) of an s-form represented by the following formula (2s) to an a-form represented by the following formula (2a) in the multisubstituted biphenyl compound represented by the formula (2)′ is 2.0 or more,

wherein R represents an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, a hydroxy group, or a carboxyl group which may be esterified; a plurality of R may be the same or different from each other; and when both of two R bonding to adjacent carbon atoms are the carboxyl groups, these carboxyl groups may bond to each other to form an anhydride.

6. The method for producing the multisubstituted biphenyl compound according to claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide is an oxide of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cerium (Ce), zirconium (Zr), nickel (Ni), titanium (Ti), lanthanum (La), silicon (Si) and aluminum (Al).

7. The method for producing the multisubstituted biphenyl compound according to claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide is an oxide of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co) and zirconium (Zr).

8. The method for producing the multisubstituted biphenyl compound according to claim 1 , wherein a gold particle having an average particle diameter of 0.5 to 10 nm are immobilized onto the support.

9. The method for producing the multisubstituted biphenyl compound according to claim 1 , wherein, in the step of coupling the substituted benzene compound, the substituted benzene compound represented by the formula (1) is coupled further in the presence of a solvent, and the solvent is an organic carboxylic acid.

10. The method for producing the multisubstituted biphenyl compound according to claim 9 , wherein the organic carboxylic acid is acetic acid.

11. The method for producing the multisubstituted biphenyl compound according to claim 1 , wherein, in the step of coupling the substituted benzene compound, the substituted benzene compound represented by the formula (1) is coupled in the presence of a gas containing oxygen.