Phenol → HCID 22624766, compound

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A cumene oxidation product mixture containing an 88.5 weight percent cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) in an amount of 26 m3/hr is introduced into a decomposer vessel containing heat exchange surfaces sufficient to maintain a desired temperature during the exothermic decomposition of CHP to produce phenol and acetone. The contents of the decomposer include CHP, an acid catalyst, phenol and acetone and are circulated in an external flowing loop and re-introduced into the decomposer. The external flowing loop is circulated at a flow rate of about 26 m3/hr and contains a sulfuric acid level of about 6 wppm and maintained at a temperature of about 75° C. (167° F.). The residence time of the cumene oxidation product mixture in the decomposer and the external flowing loop is about 15 minutes. A decomposer product stream containing a CHP concentration of about 3 weight percent is removed from the external flowing loop and is passed through a dehydrator operated at a temperature of 135° C. (275° F.). The resulting AMS yield is 85.5 mol % and the feed cumene/phenol yield weight ratio is 1.290. Thus, the weight yield ratio is now very close to the theoretical limit for this type of chemistry of 1.277. The feed cumene/phenol yield mol ratio is 0.989.

Provenance & Evidence