The disclosure concerns systems and methods for the production of phenol and acetone from cumene oxidation products. One method comprises reacting cumene and an oxidizing agent to produce a cumene oxidation product comprising cumene hydroperoxide and dimethyl benzyl alcohol, converting at least a portion of the dimethyl benzyl alcohol to cumene hydroperoxide by reacting the at least a portion of the dimethyl benzyl alcohol with hydrogen peroxide in both an organic phase and an aqueous to produce a converted cumene oxidation product, and cleaving the converted cumene oxidation product to produce an output product comprising one or more of phenol, acetone, and alpha-methylstyrene.

The disclosure concerns systems and methods for the production of phenol and acetone from cumene oxidation products. One method comprises reacting cumene and an oxidizing agent to produce a cumene oxidation product comprising cumene hydroperoxide and dimethyl benzyl alcohol, converting at least a portion of the dimethyl benzyl alcohol to cumene hydroperoxide by reacting the at least a portion of the dimethyl benzyl alcohol with hydrogen peroxide in both an organic phase and an aqueous to produce a converted cumene oxidation product, and cleaving the converted cumene oxidation product to produce an output product comprising one or more of phenol, acetone, and alpha-methylstyrene.

The disclosure concerns methods comprising forming a phenol and acetone mixture from decomposition of a cumene hydroperoxide or a phenol, acetone, and AMS from the decomposition of a mixture containing dicumyl peroxide in a system comprising one or more reactors where at least a portion of an inner surface of the one or more reactors has a polymer coating and wherein the coating inhibits build-up of a fouling precipitate on the coated inner surface of the one or more reactors as compared to such build-up in the absence of the coating.

The disclosure concerns methods comprising forming a phenol and acetone mixture from decomposition of a cumene hydroperoxide or a phenol, acetone, and AMS from the decomposition of a mixture containing dicumyl peroxide in a system comprising one or more reactors where at least a portion of an inner surface of the one or more reactors has a polymer coating and wherein the coating inhibits build-up of a fouling precipitate on the coated inner surface of the one or more reactors as compared to such build-up in the absence of the coating.

The present application relates to a distillation device, and according to the distillation device of the present application, in first and second compounds being capable of forming an azeotrope, by introducing the second compound having a relatively high boiling point into a supply port located below the first compound having a relatively low boiling point, the first compound can be previously separated from the top of a first distillation column and the content of the first compound in the flow discharged from the bottom of the first distillation column can be minimized, and thus, as a moving route of the first compound is minimized, the second compound can be separated in high purity.

The present application relates to a distillation device, and according to the distillation device of the present application, in first and second compounds being capable of forming an azeotrope, by introducing the second compound having a relatively high boiling point into a supply port located below the first compound having a relatively low boiling point, the first compound can be previously separated from the top of a first distillation column and the content of the first compound in the flow discharged from the bottom of the first distillation column can be minimized, and thus, as a moving route of the first compound is minimized, the second compound can be separated in high purity.

Disclosed is a hydroalkylation process in which the hydroalkylation catalyst is activated in the presence of a flowing fluid comprising hydrogen and a condensable agent. The presence of the condensable agent enables fast, effective activation of the hydroalkylation catalyst precursor in a cost-effective manner. It also yields superior catalyst performance.

Disclosed is a hydroalkylation process in which the hydroalkylation catalyst is activated in the presence of a flowing fluid comprising hydrogen and a condensable agent. The presence of the condensable agent enables fast, effective activation of the hydroalkylation catalyst precursor in a cost-effective manner. It also yields superior catalyst performance.

Disclosed herein is a process for producing phenol. The process includes oxidizing at least a portion of a feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene to produce an oxidation composition comprising cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide. The oxidation composition may then be cleaved in the presence of an acid catalyst to produce a cleavage reaction mixture comprising the acid catalyst, phenol and cyclohexanone. At least a portion of the cleavage reaction mixture may be neutralized with a basic material to form a treated cleavage reaction mixture. In various embodiments, the treated cleavage reaction mixture contains no greater than 50 wppm of the acid catalyst or no greater than 50 wppm of the basic material.

Disclosed herein is a process for producing phenol. The process includes oxidizing at least a portion of a feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene to produce an oxidation composition comprising cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide. The oxidation composition may then be cleaved in the presence of an acid catalyst to produce a cleavage reaction mixture comprising the acid catalyst, phenol and cyclohexanone. At least a portion of the cleavage reaction mixture may be neutralized with a basic material to form a treated cleavage reaction mixture. In various embodiments, the treated cleavage reaction mixture contains no greater than 50 wppm of the acid catalyst or no greater than 50 wppm of the basic material.