Manufacturing Process for Phenols by Auto-oxidation Technology.

Development and Application of Hydroperoxide Process

Abstract

Thirty years have elapsed since the initial phenol manufacturing process by the auto-oxidation technology was commercialized in Canada, and today, the annual world-wide production of phenol from cumene has reached approximately 3 million tons.
Subsequently, the technology of the hydroperoxide process was successfully applied to industrial production of such phenols as cresol and hydroquinone in the 1970's. Furthermore, the commercial manufacture of resorcin using the said technology will be realized in Japan in 1980.
Various developments covering the manufacturing process for phenols mentioned above were discussed mainly focussing on the chemical reactions of the respective processes.