Phenol → 4-Hydroxybenzenesulfonic acid

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Reaction Steps

When, for example, a sulfuric acid is used as a sulfonating agent, the dehydration reaction proceeds as follows. A phenol is reacted with the sulfuric acid to give a phenolsulfonic acid as the reaction intermediate, which is reacted with the phenol to produce a dihydroxydiphenylsulfone. The reaction proceeds while producing water as a by-product. When a phenolsulfonic acid which is the reaction intermediate formed by use of sulfuric acid is used as a sulfonating agent, a dihydroxydiphenylsulfone is produced by the latter reaction alone.

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