Method for the production of phenol and acetone

A method for the production of phenol and acetone from a cumene hydroperoxide mixture comprising:

• a first stage and a second stage and at least two serially connected reactors, wherein the first stage comprises decomposition of a cumene hydroperoxide mixture in the presence of a catalyst mixture to form a dicumyl peroxide mixture, and the second stage comprises formation of a phenol and acetone mixture from decomposition of the dicumyl peroxide mixture formed in the first stage, wherein the first stage further comprises:
• a) forming a catalyst mixture by combining sulfuric acid and phenol in a weight ratio of from 2:1 to 1:1000 in a catalyst formation reactor, wherein the sulfuric acid is an aqueous sulfuric acid solution comprising at least 75 wt. % sulfuric acid;
• b) holding the catalyst mixture in the catalyst formation reactor at a temperature of about 20 to 80° C. for about 1 to 600 minutes;
• and
• c) adding the catalyst mixture to the cumene hydroperoxide mixture to form the phenol and acetone mixture.

A method for the production of phenol and acetone from a cumene hydroperoxide mixture comprising:

• a first stage and a second stage and at least two serially connected reactors, wherein the first stage comprises decomposition of a cumene hydroperoxide mixture in the presence of a catalyst mixture to form a dicumyl peroxide mixture, and the second stage comprises formation of a phenol and acetone mixture from decomposition of the dicumyl peroxide mixture formed in the first stage, wherein the first stage further comprises:
• a) forming the catalyst mixture in a catalyst formation reactor by combining sulfuric acid and phenol in a weight ratio of from 2:1 to 1:1000, wherein the sulfuric acid is an aqueous sulfuric acid solution comprising at least 75 wt. % sulfuric acid;
• b) holding the catalyst mixture in the catalyst formation reactor at a temperature of about 35 to 45° C. for about 60 to 300 minutes;
• and
• c) adding the catalyst mixture to the cumene hydroperoxide mixture to form the phenol and acetone mixture,
• wherein the phenol and acetone mixture formed has a reduced level of hydroxyacetone as compared to a phenol and acetone mixture formed using a catalyst that is only sulfuric acid.