(a) Production of cumene

Cumene is the name often given to (1-methylethyl)benzene (isopropylbenzene). It is produced by the reaction of benzene and propene, using an acid catalyst; this is an e ample of a !riedel-Crafts reaction"

In one process, benzene and propene (#"1) are passed over an acid catalyst, usually a zeolite such as $%&-' at ca ()) * and under pressure (ca 1) atm) in a fi ed bed reactor. +he zeolite is more environmentally friendly than traditional acid catalysts such as aluminium chloride. +he effluent is much cleaner and lo,er temperatures and pressures can be used. -lternatively, propene gas is li.uefied under pressure (ca #) atm) and mi ed ,ith benzene before being passed, still under pressure, through a reactor containing the solid zeolite at ca /#' *. +his process is becoming more popular as it uses even lo,er temperatures and thus saves energy. In some plants, solid phosphoric acid is used as the catalyst, in place of zeolites.

Production of Phenol !irst ,rite the production of Cumene. -fter that add"

(b) Conversion of cumene to cumene hydroperoxide

Cumene is then o idized ,ith air to give the hydropero ide. +he reaction is autocatalyzed by cumene hydropero ide. +he overall reaction can be represented as"

+he reaction ta0es place at temperatures bet,een #')-#1) * and 1-2 atm pressure, the latter to retain the system in the li.uid phase. -t higher temperatures, the hydropero ide is unstable and could decompose violently. +he o idizers are generally built some distance from the rest of the plant. (c) Decomposition of cumene hydroperoxide !inally, the hydropero ide is mi ed ,ith sulfuric acid at #1#-#2# * to give, after neutralisation, phenol and propanone. +his reaction ,hen carried out ,ith small amounts of sulfuric acid (')) ppm by mass) is termed homogeneous cleavage"

+he products are separated by distillation, in up to si columns. 3roduct yield is 4'425, based on benzene.

Phthalic Anhydride

C(6/(C6#)7 8 # 97 : C(6/(C9)79 8 # 679

+he basic process consists of mi ing a stream of vaporized ortho- ylene ,ith compressed air and then feeding this stream into a fired heater and then into a catalytic reactor. +he air"o- ylene ratio is maintained at 7)"1. +he reactor operates in the temperature range of #)) to /));C and in the pressure range of 1 to # bar. +he reaction is highly e othermic and the reacting gas stream must be cooled in the reactor to avoid e cessive temperatures and a run a,ay reaction. +his cooling can be achieved by placing the catalyst in tubes and passing a cooling medium (molten salt) on the outside of the tubes ,ith the reacting gases passing on the inside of the tubes over the catalyst. +his configuration is similar to a shell and tube heat e changer. -n alternative scheme is to operate the reactor as a fluidized bed ,here the bed comprises the catalyst and heat transfer tubes, ,ith coolant flo,ing inside the tubes, pass through the bed to remove the heat of reaction. +he process stream containing the ylene and air pass up,ard through the bed and cause the solids to fluidize. <ue to the potential for an e plosion it is common to ad=ust the inlet concentration in the reactor to be outside the e plosive limits. +he stream leaving the reactor is cooled .uic0ly in one or more heat e changers prior to being sent to the s,itch condensers. +hese condensers use a cyclic process to separate the condenseable organics (115 recovery) from the non-condenseable gases. +he organic material, containing phthalic and maleic anhydrides and any unreacted ylene are fed to t,o vacuum distillation columns to recover the products, ,hich are then sent to storage. -ny unreacted ylene may be recycled to the front end of the process. Separations Section <ue to the high boiling points of the products, the separation section is often run under vacuum. +his is necessary to avoid the use of a fired heater to reboil the to,ers (and to avoid possible crac0ing reactions at the higher temperatures).