Abstract: An improved process for recovering high purity resorcinol produced by the rearrangement of m-diisopropylbenzene dihydroperoxide in which the rearranged product mixture is neutralized, the neutralized mixture being filtered, the filtrate being admixed with toluene, the acetone being removed by distillation and the acetone-free rearranged product/toluene mixture being steam distilled to provide an aqueous resorcinol containing phase from which the resorcinol is recovered.

Abstract: Separation of diisopropylbenzene dihydroperoxide from a diisopropylbenzene oxidation reaction mixture by treating the reaction mixture with concentrated alkali metal hydroxide and recovering the alkali metal salt of diisopropylbenzene dihydroperoxide in high purity and good yield, and subsequently converting the salt to diisopropylbenzene dihydroperoxide.

Abstract: Dihydric phenols produced by rearrangement of p-dialkylbenzene hydroperoxides are recovered from the rearrangement effluent by distilling byproduct ketone in a distillation tower from a mixture of the rearrangement effluent with benzene and dihydric phenol-containing aqueous feed and extracting impurities and aromatic byproducts with benzene. Benzene containing dissolved impurities and aromatic byproducts, and water containing the dihydric phenol are removed from the bottom of the distillation tower and separated in an extractor column, the dihydric phenol is recovered from its aqueous solution by crystallization and the mother liquor from the crystallization step is recycled to the distillation tower.

Abstract: A portion of a stream obtained by the oxidation of an aryl tertiary alkane and containing primarily aralkyl tertiary monohydroperoxide, substantial amounts of aryl tertiary alkane, smaller amounts of keto aryl tertiary alkanols, aralkyl tertiary dialkanols and other by-products is subjected to a separation step wherein a fraction containing the greater part of the aryl tertiary alkane and at least some of the monohydroperoxide, and a fraction containing the keto aryl tertiary alkanol are separated from one another and the fraction containing the aryl tertiary alkane and the monohydroperoxide is returned to the oxidation reaction.

Abstract: An improved method for separating para-dialkylbenzene monohydroperoxide from crude solid para-dialkylbenzene dihydroperoxide which comprises treating the solid dihydroperoxide with a liquid hydrocarbon to form a mixture, heating the mixture to a temperature of at least about 60.degree. C., cooling the mixture to below about 30.degree. C. and filtering or otherwise physically separating the solid dihydroperoxide.

Abstract: A portion of a recycle stream obtained from the reaction mixture resulting from the oxidation of an aryl tertiary alkane and containing primarily aralkyl tertiary monohydroperoxide, unreacted aryl tertiary alkane, a minor amount of aralkyl tertiary polyhydroperoxide and other by-products is separated to obtain a fraction containing substantially all of the polyhydroperoxide and at least some of the by-products, the fraction then being introduced into a rearrangement zone to convert at least a portion of the polyhydroperoxide to the corresponding polyphenol.

Abstract: Dihydric phenols produced by rearrangement of p-dialkylbenzene hydroperoxides are recovered from the rearrangement effluent by distilling byproduct ketone in a distillation tower from a mixture of the rearrangement effluent with benzene and dihydric phenol-containing aqueous feed and extracting impurities and aromatic byproducts with benzene. Benzene containing dissolved impurities and aromatic byproducts, and water containing the dihydric phenol are removed from the bottom of the distillation tower and separated in an extractor column, the dihydric phenol is recovered from its aqueous solution by crystallization and the mother liquor from the crystallization step is recycled to the distillation tower.