GB670445A - Recovery of by-products in the manufacture of phenol - Google Patents

Abstract

In phenol production by acidic decomposition of isopropylbenzene peroxides, the reaction mixture is fractionally distilled under non-acid conditions, i.e. pH not below 5. Thus the mixture is washed with water to remove the acid catalyst, followed by small amounts of alkali to remove organic acidic by-products and to produce the desired pH change without removing appreciable amounts of phenol. Small amounts of phenol and acetone may be recovered from the wash water. Preferably also the peroxides are alkali-washed before contact with the acidic decomposition agent. Fractional distillation of the washed decomposition products yields successively isopropylbenzene, a - methylstyrene, phenol, acetophenone and cumylphenol, the last two preferably under reduced pressure. Alternatively, after the first- and second-named have passed over, the phenol and acetophenone are removed by steam distillation and the cumylphenol extracted from the residue with alkali. The cumylphenol may then be treated as in Specification 670,444 to increase the overall yield of phenol. An example is given of the process.