Phenol from coal and biomass
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorPaul W. Wojtkowski
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Abstract
Phenol is prepared from mixed phenols derived from coal or biomass by separation of the mixed phenols, isomerization of m- and/or p-cresols to o-cresol, demethylation of o-cresol, dealkylation of xylenols and other alkyl phenols, recycling of products other than phenol, and, optionally, reducing phenol to cyclohexanone/cyclohexanol, followed by oxidation thereof to adipic acid.
Claims18
Process for preparing phenol from mixed phenols, which process comprises:
- (a) separating the mixed phenols into at least phenol and o- and m- and/or p-cresols;
- (b) isomerizing m- and/or p-cresols from (a) to o-cresol in a first vessel in the presence of an alumino-silicate zeolite catalyst;
- and
- (c) demethylating o-cresol from (a) and (b) to phenol in a second vessel in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst consisting essentially of nickel and silica and/or Kieselguhr having a Ni/Si gram atomic ratio of about 0.2 to about 20 at a temperature of about 200.degree. C. to about 450.degree. C.
Process of demethylating o-cresol in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst consisting essentially of nickel and silica and/or Kieselguhr having a Ni/Si gram atomic ratio of about 0.2 to about 20 at a temperature of about 200.degree. C. to about 450.degree. C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.