Preparation of phenol having improved clarity when dispersed in water

US5122234A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• AlliedSignal, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Saul L. Elishewitz · Philadelphia, US
• Clifford M. Gilpin, III · Nazareth, US
• Gerald E. Hollenbach · Uniontown, US
• John J. Santarsiero, II · Readington, US
• William J. Moffatt · Flossmoor, US
• David B. Lebowitz · Cherry Hill, US
• Dodd S. Smith · Limerick, US
• Larry B. Wolf · Colonial Heights, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 4, 1991
• Grant date: Jun 16, 1992
• Expiry date: Feb 4, 2011

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S203/20
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

This invention is a continuous process for preparing phenol having improved clarity when dispersed in water. The phenol is prepared from crude phenol being the product of decomposition of cumene hydroperoxide and having previously been distilled to remove large portions of acetone, cumene and alphamethyl styrene. The continuous process requires PA1 a) introducing the crude phenol as a feed to a fractional distillation column, PA1 b) heating the bottoms of the fractional distillation column to vaporize the phenol and lower boiling components of the crude phenol, PA1 c) removing those components of the crude phenol boiling higher than phenol from the bottom of the distillation column, PA1 d) removing substantially dry liquid phenol product with improved clarity from the distillation column at a point at least one theoretical stage from the top of the column, PA1 e) adding water to the top of the fractional distillation column in a sufficient amount to improve the clarity of the phenol product, PA1 f) removing a condensed liquid phenol-water mixture containing impurities overhead from the top of the fractional distillation column, and PA1 g) returning a portion of the phenol-water mix…