Dimethyl dicarbonate → Phenol

Participants

Reaction Steps

It has been discovered that when a cumene oxidation product mixture containing cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) and DMPC is decomposed to produce phenol, acetone and alpha-methyl styrene, by passing the cumene oxidation product mixture into a vessel having a liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) from about 10 hr−1 to about 30 hr−1 and then passing the cumene oxidation product mixture into a circulating loop comprising cumene hydroperoxide, an acid catalyst, phenol and acetone thereby producing an exothermic heat of reaction, an improved yield of alpha-methyl styrene is realized. The cumene oxidation product mixture is the result of cumene oxidation with oxygen and preferably comprises a cumene hydroperoxide concentration from about 60 to about 95 weight percent. The ratio of the flow rate of the cumene oxidation product mixture to the flow rate of the circulating loop is preferably from about 1:10 to about 1:100. In accordance with the present invention, a suitable and preferred acid catalyst is sulfuric acid.

Provenance & Evidence