How is phenol manufactured industrially? Write the chemical equation.

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Q. How is phenol manufactured industrially? Write the chemical equation.

Kerala DhseKerala DHSE Plus Two Board 2023Subjective· 2mImportance★★★★★

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The dominant industrial route to phenol is the Cumene process, in which cumene is air-oxidised to cumene hydroperoxide, which is then cleaved by dilute acid to give phenol and acetone.

The Cumene process

Step 1: Benzene is alkylated with propene (Friedel-Crafts alkylation) to give cumene (isopropylbenzene).

Step 2: Cumene is oxidised by air in the presence of a catalyst to cumene hydroperoxide.

C6H5–CH(CH3)2 + O2 --(catalyst)--> C6H5–C(CH3)2–O–OH (cumene hydroperoxide)

Step 3: Cumene hydroperoxide is treated with dilute acid (H2SO4), which causes it to rearrange and cleave into phenol and acetone.

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Same / Similar Concept — real previous-year questions on the same or a closely similar concept, not this exact question.

CBSE 2025Set X11 markMCQ
$Q. Cumene hydroperoxide on hydrolysis with dilute acid gives ______.$
(a) alcohol and phenol
(b) only phenol
(c) phenol and acetone
(d) alcohol and acetone
›Reveal solutionSolution

Cumene hydroperoxide, on hydrolysis with dilute acid, cleaves to give phenol and acetone (the industrial "cumene process" for phenol).

In the industrial cumene process, cumene (isopropylbenzene) is air-oxidised to cumene hydroperoxide, $\text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{C(CH}_3)_2\text{OOH}$ . Treatment with dilute acid then cleaves it: …
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CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. In reaction of manufacturation of phenol from cumene the by-product is$
(a) Tribromophenol
(b) Benzoquenone
(c) Picric acid
(d) Acetone
›Reveal solutionSolution

In the industrial cumene process, oxidation of cumene followed by acid hydrolysis of the hydroperoxide yields both phenol and acetone.

Cumene (isopropylbenzene) is air-oxidised to cumene hydroperoxide. Treating this hydroperoxide with dilute acid causes rearrangement and cleavage to give phenol as the main product, with acetone (propan-2-one …

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CBSE 2022Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. Isopropylbenzene on air oxidation followed by decomposition by dilute acid gives _____.$
(a) $C_6H_5OH$
(b) $C_6H_5COOCH_3$
(c) $C_6H_5COOH$
(d) $C_6H_5CHO$
›Reveal solutionSolution

Air oxidation of cumene followed by acid cleavage is the industrial cumene process for making phenol.

Isopropylbenzene (cumene) is air-oxidised to cumene hydroperoxide, which on treatment with dilute acid undergoes rearrangement/cleavage to give phenol and acetone as a co-product: …

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Q.How is phenol manufactured industrially? Write the chemical equation.

Concept understanding — Preparation of Phenols

Q.How is phenol manufactured industrially? Write the chemical equation.

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