Acetone → Phenol

Participants

Reaction Steps

One of the more specific embodiments of the '150 invention is a method for treating a reaction mixture resulting from the sulfuric acid cleavage of cumene hydroperoxide comprising the steps of (a) effecting the neutralization of the reaction mixture with sodium phenate, and forming a reaction mixture comprising phenol, acetone, cumene and a sodium sulfate salt of neutralization; (b) processing an initially salt-free aqueous stream in counter current contact with the neutralized sodium sulfate-containing reaction mixture at a temperature of from about 95° to about 120° F. and at a pH of from about 2 to about 6; (c) progressively saturating the resulting aqueous phase with the sodium sulfate and salting-out the organic acid cleavage products contained therein whereby the aqueous phase is recovered containing substantially all of the sodium sulfate and substantially free of organic products.

Provenance & Evidence