Production of para-isopropylphenol
AssigneeMobil Oil Corporation
InventorMargaret M. Wu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Phenol is catalytically alkylated with an isopropanol or propylene alkylating agent to form high yields of an isopropylphenol product enriched in the para-isomer of isopropylphenol. Such an alkylation process is carried out under catalytic alkylation conditions including a temperature of from about 200.degree. C. to 300.degree. C. and contact with a crystalline zeolite catalyst having a silica to alumina molar ratio of at least about 12 and a constraint index of about 1 to 12.
Claims9
A process for selectively alkylating phenol to provide a high yield of an isopropylphenol product enriched in the para-isopropyl isomer of isopropylphenol, said process comprising contacting phenol with a propylating agent selected from propylene and isopropanol in the presence of a zeolite catalyst selected from the group consisting of ZSM-5, ZSM-11, ZSM-23, ZSM-35, ZSM-38 and ZSM-48, under alkylation conditions which include a temperature within the range of from about 200.degree. C. to 300.degree. C.
A process for selectively alkylating phenol to provide a high yield of an isopropylphenol product enriched in the para-isopropyl isomer of isopropylphenol, said process comprising contacting phenol with a propylating agent selected from propylene and isopropanol in the presence of a zeolite catalyst which is ZSM-5, under alkylation conditions which include a temperature within the range of from about 200.degree. C. to 300.degree. C.
A process for selectively alkylating phenol to provide a high yield of an isopropylphenol product enriched in the para-isopropyl isomer of isopropylphenol, said process comprising contacting phenol with a propylating agent selected from propylene and isopropanol in the presence of a ZSM-5 zeolite catalyst, under alkylation conditions which include a temperature of from about 250.degree. C. to 300.degree. C., a pressure of from about 10.sup.5 to 6.times.10.sup.6 N/m.sup.2, a weight hourly space velocity of reactants of from about 0.5 to 100 and a molar ratio of phenol to alkylating agent of from about 0.5:1 to 20:1.
A process according to claim, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 wherein the alkylating agent is propylene.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.