Preparation of Phenol from Cumene

The industrial cumene process starts by Friedel-Crafts alkylation: benzene and propene, heated at 523 K in a closed vessel with H3PO4 catalyst, give cumene (isopropylbenzene). Air (O2) is passed through a mixture of cumene and 5% aqueous sodium carbonate to oxidise cumene to cumene hydroperoxide. Treating cumene hydroperoxide with dilute acid then cleaves it to give phenol AND acetone as a valuable co-product -- this dual-product …