Abstract:
An improved process for continuous production of a phenol by pyrolytic oxidation and decarboxylation of a benzenemonocarboxylic acid in the presence of dissolved copper followed by hydrolysis of the intermediate reaction mixture from the oxidation and decarboxylation step, wherein the intermediate reaction mixture from the oxidation and decarboxylation step is fed together with steam and a sufficient quantity of molecular oxygen to a hydrolysis zone whereby the copper in the reaction mixture is maintained in solution during the hydrolysis step by maintaining the copper in a bivalent oxidation state.
Abstract:
An improved process for removing tar from reaction mixtures obtained in preparing phenols by oxidation of benzenemonocarboxylic acid compounds in the presence of a promoter such as copper wherein the reaction solution is periodically or continuously treated to remove by-products in the form of tar from the solution, said treatment comprising maintaining a short reaction product residence time in the reaction zone wherein the degree of polymerization of the byproduct tar is maintained at a sufficiently low level so that the by-product tar is soluble in an organic, water insoluble solvent, dissolving the reaction mixture in the organic water insoluble solvent, adding water to the solution to remove metallic salts, particularly copper salts, fractionally distilling the remaining solution to remove the organic water insoluble solvent from the reaction medium, separating the solid tar products from the reaction medium and recirculating the reaction medium and the metallic salts back to the reaction zone.