A process for producing bisphenol-A comprises reacting acetone and phenol in the presence of a catalyst system comprising an acidic heterogeneous catalyst and a catalyst promoter comprising at least one organic sulfur-containing compound to produce a reaction effluent comprising bisphenol-A, water, unreacted acetone, unreacted phenol and at least part of the catalyst promoter. At least part of the reaction effluent is distilled to remove water, catalyst promoter and unreacted acetone, and leave a residual stream containing bisphenol A. At least part of the residual stream is then contacted with a basic anion exchange resin to produce a purified stream, from which bisphenol-A is recovered.

A process for producing bisphenol-A comprises reacting acetone and phenol in the presence of a catalyst system comprising an acidic heterogeneous catalyst and a catalyst promoter comprising at least one organic sulfur-containing compound to produce a reaction effluent comprising bisphenol-A, water, unreacted acetone, unreacted phenol and at least part of the catalyst promoter. At least part of the reaction effluent is distilled to remove water, catalyst promoter and unreacted acetone, and leave a residual stream containing bisphenol A. At least part of the residual stream is then contacted with a basic anion exchange resin to produce a purified stream, from which bisphenol-A is recovered.

Herein are described apparatus and processes for the preparation of cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD) and derivatives thereof. The apparatus and processes described can be used for the one-step, flow-mediated synthesis of cannabidiol and derivatives with improved overall yield, material throughput, and product purity relative to batch processes.

Herein are described apparatus and processes for the preparation of cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD) and derivatives thereof. The apparatus and processes described can be used for the one-step, flow-mediated synthesis of cannabidiol and derivatives with improved overall yield, material throughput, and product purity relative to batch processes.

Herein are described apparatus and processes for the preparation of cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD) and derivatives thereof. The apparatus and processes described can be used for the one-step, flow-mediated synthesis of cannabidiol and derivatives with improved overall yield, material throughput, and product purity relative to batch processes.

Herein are described apparatus and processes for the preparation of cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD) and derivatives thereof. The apparatus and processes described can be used for the one-step, flow-mediated synthesis of cannabidiol and derivatives with improved overall yield, material throughput, and product purity relative to batch processes.

In an embodiment, a method of recovering phenol comprises heating a preheater inlet stream in a preheater to form a splitter inlet stream; separating the splitter inlet stream into a splitter top outlet stream and a splitter bottom outlet stream in a splitter column; separating the splitter bottom outlet stream into a crude top outlet stream and a crude bottom outlet stream in a crude phenol column; hydro-extracting the crude top outlet stream in a hydro-extractor column to form an extractor primary outlet stream; recovering a product phenol outlet stream from the extractor primary outlet stream in a finishing column; combining a bisphenol A plant phenol recovery stream from a bisphenol A reaction from a bisphenol A phenol purification system with the preheater inlet stream, the splitter inlet stream, the splitter bottom outlet stream, the crude top outlet stream, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

In an embodiment, a method of recovering phenol comprises heating a preheater inlet stream in a preheater to form a splitter inlet stream; separating the splitter inlet stream into a splitter top outlet stream and a splitter bottom outlet stream in a splitter column; separating the splitter bottom outlet stream into a crude top outlet stream and a crude bottom outlet stream in a crude phenol column; hydro-extracting the crude top outlet stream in a hydro-extractor column to form an extractor primary outlet stream; recovering a product phenol outlet stream from the extractor primary outlet stream in a finishing column; combining a bisphenol A plant phenol recovery stream from a bisphenol A reaction from a bisphenol A phenol purification system with the preheater inlet stream, the splitter inlet stream, the splitter bottom outlet stream, the crude top outlet stream, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

In an embodiment, a method of recovering phenol comprises heating a preheater inlet stream in a preheater to form a splitter inlet stream; separating the splitter inlet stream into a splitter top outlet stream and a splitter bottom outlet stream in a splitter column; separating the splitter bottom outlet stream into a crude top outlet stream and a crude bottom outlet stream in a crude phenol column; hydro-extracting the crude top outlet stream in a hydro-extractor column to form an extractor primary outlet stream; recovering a product phenol outlet stream from the extractor primary outlet stream in a finishing column; combining a bisphenol A plant phenol recovery stream from a bisphenol A reaction from a bisphenol A phenol purification system with the preheater inlet stream, the splitter inlet stream, the splitter bottom outlet stream, the crude top outlet stream, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

In general the present invention concerns a method for production of highly pure m,m-coupled bis(4-alkylphenol) derivatives from particular lignin-derived 4-alkylphenol derivatives. More specifically this invention relates to a process for the selective purification of m,m-coupled bis(4-alkylphenol) derivatives by selective crystallization in the presence of residual substrate and isomeric and/or oligomeric by-products/impurities. This new class of bis(4-alkylphenol)s are valuable precursors for renewable thermoplastics, (high temperature) resins/thermosets, bio-derived C.sub.15-C.sub.19 fuel additives, antioxidants, UV-stabilizers, plasticizers, soluble n-type perylene copolymers and/or positive working photoresists.