US 2015/0148568 A1Published application

Process for producing phenol

AssigneeBadger Licensing LLC

InventorRonald Birkhoff

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Abstract

In a process for producing phenol, benzene is contacted with a C3 alkylating agent comprising isopropanol under alkylation conditions such that at least part of the isopropanol reacts with the benzene to produce cumene. At least part of the resultant cumene is then oxidized in the presence of an oxidizing gas to produce an oxidation effluent comprising cumene hydroperoxide, unreacted cumene and a spent oxidizing gas. The unreacted cumene is separated from the oxidation effluent and is treated to remove nitrogenous impurities therefrom and produce a purified cumene stream, which is recycled to the oxidization step. At least part of the cumene hydroperoxide from the oxidation effluent is cleaved to produce a cleavage effluent comprising phenol and acetone. The phenol is recovered phenol from the cleavage effluent, whereas at least part of the acetone from the cleavage effluent is hydrogenated to produce isopropanol for recycle to the alkylation step.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A process for producing phenol, the process comprising:

(a) contacting benzene with a C3 alkylating agent comprising isopropanol, and optionally propylene, under alkylation conditions such that at least part of said isopropanol and benzene react to produce cumene;
(b) oxidizing at least part of the cumene produced in (a) in the presence of an oxidizing gas to produce an oxidation effluent comprising cumene hydroperoxide and unreacted cumene and a spent oxidizing gas;
(c) treating at least part of the unreacted cumene from the oxidation effluent to remove nitrogenous impurities therefrom and produce a purified cumene stream;
(d) recycling the purified cumene stream to the oxidizing (b);
(e) cleaving at least part of the cumene hydroperoxide from the oxidation effluent to produce a cleavage effluent comprising phenol and acetone;
(f) recovering phenol from the cleavage effluent;
(g) hydrogenating at least part of the acetone from the cleavage effluent to produce isopropanol;
and
(h) recycling at least part of the isopropanol from (g) to the contacting (a).

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/414,341Filed 17 Jun 2013
Priority: 13 Jul 2012
Published: 28 May 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

C07C 37/08
Preparation of compounds having hydroxy or O-metal groups bound to a carbon atom of a six-membered aromatic ring: by decomposition of…
C07C 2/66
Addition to a carbon atom of a six-membered aromatic ring: catalytic processes
C07C 2/864
The non-hydrocarbon contains only oxygen as hetero-atoms: the non-hydrocarbon is an alcohol
C07C 29/145
Of ketones: with hydrogen or hydrogen-containing gases

Family

Application61/671,283Us provisional application · filed 13 Jul 2012
US 9,221,736 B2Related patent
US 2015/0148568 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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