Process and catalyst for producing p-cumylphenol

A process for producing p-cumylphenol which process comprises reacting phenol with α-methylstyrene in the presence of an acidic aluminum zirconium catalyst at a temperature above 80° C., and subsequently isolating the p-cumylphenol from the catalysis product by distillation, wherein the catalyst is a mixture of aluminum and zirconium oxides and sulfates having a total content of aluminum and zirconium sulfate of from 5 to 15% by mass (calculated on the basis of S04 ions) and a total content of aluminum and oxide and sulfate of 5-30% by mass (calculated on the basis of Al2O3) and raw material volume feed rate of the phenol and α-methylstyrene is 1-3 h−1.