| abstract |
Phenol is produced by (a) reacting benzene with propylene to synthesize cumene, (b) oxidizing the cumene of step (a) into cumene hydroperoxide, (c) acid cleaving cumene hydroperoxide into phenol and acetone, (d) hydrogenating the acetone of step (c) into isopropanol and (e) dehydrating the isopropanol of step (d) into propylene. The propylene from step (e) is useful by itself or is recycled from the step (e) to step (a) of the phenol producing process. |