Decomposition of organic hydroperoxides in the presence of a particulate catalyst containing highly fluorinated polymer having sulfonic acid groups and process for the manufacture of bisphenol A

Abstract

A process for the manufacture of a hydroxy-substituted organic compound comprising decomposing an organic hydroperoxide, preferably a compound of the formula Ar—C(CH3)2O2H, wherein Ar is a substituted or unsubstituted mononuclear or polynuclear aromatic group. The decomposition is carried out in the presence of a catalyst comprising highly fluorinated polymer having sulfonic acid groups with the catalyst being in the form of particles of which at least about 20 weight % have a particle size less than about 300 μm. Cumene hydroperoxide can be decomposed in the process to phenol and acetone which can be reacted to form bisphenol A in the presence of the same catalyst that was used for the decomposition.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.