Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the preparation of diphenic acid from phenanthrene which comprises heating phenanthrene and glacial acetic acid, adding drop-wise a pre-determined amount of 30% hydrogen peroxide, heating the resulting mixture after completion of drop wise addition of hydrogen peroxide, distilling the resulting mixture under reduced pressure to make the volume half, cooling the mixture till diphenic acid crystalises out, filtering the cooled mixture and boiling the residue after adding 10% solution of sodium carbonate and activated charcoal, filtering and discarding the residue; acidifying the filtrate with hydrogen chloride; cooling the resultant mixture till more diphenic acid crystallises out; repeating filtration till pure diphenic acid is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the preparation of diphenic acid from phenanthrene which comprises heating phenanthrene and glacial acetic acid, adding drop-wise a pre-determined amount of 30% hydrogen peroxide, heating the resulting mixture after completion of drop wise addition of hydrogen peroxide, distilling the resulting mixture under reduced pressure to make the volume half, cooling the mixture till diphenic acid crystalises out, filtering the cooled mixture and boiling the residue after adding 10% solution of sodium carbonate and activated charcoal, filtering and discarding the residue; acidifying the filtrate with hydrogen chloride; cooling the resultant mixture till more diphenic acid crystallises out; repeating filtration till pure diphenic acid is obtained.