Abstract: In a method of treating a residue stream from the production of bisphenol-A, the residue stream is contacted with an aqueous solution of a base under conditions effective to hydrolyze at least part of said residue stream into acetone and phenol and produce an effluent stream. Acetone is recovered from the effluent stream to produce a phenol-containing mixed phase stream which is substantially free of acetone and which contains water and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds. The phenol-containing mixed phase stream is then treated with a water-immiscible organic solvent to extract phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds into said solvent and produce an organic phase containing the solvent, phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy aromatic compounds and an aqueous phase with reduced concentrations of phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds. At least part of the phenol and the organic solvent are subsequently recovered from the organic phase.

Abstract: In a method of recovering phenol and acetone from a feed stream containing bisphenol-A and isomers thereof, the feed stream is contacted with water and a source of hydroxyl ions under conditions effective to decompose at least part of said bisphenol-A and isomers thereof to phenol and acetone. The conditions include a temperature of about 150° C. to about 300° C., a pressure sufficient to keep the water substantially in the liquid phase at said temperature, and a molar ratio of hydroxyl ions to hydroxyphenyl groups in the residue stream from about 0.3:1 to about 0.9:1.

Abstract: In a method of recovering phenol and acetone from a feed stream containing bisphenol-A and isomers thereof, the feed stream is contacted with water and a source of hydroxyl ions under conditions effective to decompose at least part of said bisphenol-A and isomers thereof to phenol and acetone. The conditions include a temperature of about 150° C. to about 300° C., a pressure sufficient to keep the water substantially in the liquid phase at said temperature, and a molar ratio of hydroxyl ions to hydroxyphenyl groups in the residue stream from about 0.3:1 to about 0.9:1.

Abstract: In a method of treating a residue stream from the production of bisphenol-A, the residue stream is contacted with an aqueous solution of a base under conditions effective to hydrolyze at least part of said residue stream into acetone and phenol and produce an effluent stream. Acetone is recovered from the effluent stream to produce a phenol-containing mixed phase stream which is substantially free of acetone and which contains water and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds. The phenol-containing mixed phase stream is then treated with a water-immiscible organic solvent to extract phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds into said solvent and produce an organic phase containing the solvent, phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy aromatic compounds and an aqueous phase with reduced concentrations of phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds. At least part of the phenol and the organic solvent are subsequently recovered from the organic phase.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for producing bisphenol-A (BPA) comprising steps of (1) contacting benzene and a C3 alkylating agent to produce an alkylation effluent comprising cumene; (2) oxidizing the cumene to produce the corresponding hydroperoxide; (3) cleaving the hydroperoxide to produce product comprising phenol and acetone; (4) reacting acetone with phenol to form a reaction product stream comprising crude bisphenol-A product; (5) distilling the reaction product stream, while sending downstream to a BPA-phenol adduct crystallization and purification step, the resulting concentrated BPA phenolic feed stream; (6) producing BPA-phenol adduct crystals by crystallization of the concentrated BPA phenolic feed stream; (7) separating the BPA-phenol adduct crystals by solid-liquid separationr; (8) cracking a stream comprising at least a portion of said final mother liquor to recover a product; and (9) recovering and feeding the phenol product of step (8) to step (4) and/or step (7).

Abstract: An improved process for the manufacture of a polyphenol compound such as bisphenol-A by introducing into a reaction zone a phenolic compound reactant, a carbonyl compound reactant, and a catalyst promoter comprising bismethylthiopropane added to the reaction system in certain specific locations, and reacting the ingredients within the reaction zone in the presence of an acid catalyst.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for producing bisphenol-A (BPA) comprising steps of (1) contacting benzene and a C3 alkylating agent to produce an alkylation effluent comprising cumene; (2) oxidizing the cumene to produce the corresponding hydroperoxide; (3) cleaving the hydroperoxide to produce product comprising phenol and acetone; (4) reacting acetone with phenol to form a reaction product stream comprising crude bisphenol-A product; (5) distilling the reaction product stream, while sending downstream to a BPA-phenol adduct crystallization and purification step, the resulting concentrated BPA phenolic feed stream; (6) producing BPA-phenol adduct crystals by crystallization of the concentrated BPA phenolic feed stream; (7) separating the BPA-phenol adduct crystals by solid-liquid separation; (8) cracking a stream comprising at least a portion of said final mother liquor to recover a product; and (9) recovering and feeding the phenol product of step (8) to step (4) and/or step (7).

Abstract: An improved process for the manufacture of a polyphenol compound such as bisphenol-A by introducing into a reaction zone a phenolic compound reactant, a carbonyl compound reactant, and a catalyst promoter comprising bismethylthiopropane added to the reaction system in certain specific locations, and reacting the ingredients within the reaction zone in the presence of an acid catalyst.

Abstract: Process and related apparatus are disclosed for economically producing a very high quality bisphenol A product by a multistage crystallization process utilizing a new cross-flow wash design whereby a high purity wash phenol stream is fed to every washing stage, optionally also in combination with a modified stream flow/recycle design which avoids increased by product production and yield losses otherwise expected from processing increased volumes of wash phenol.

Abstract: Process and related apparatus are disclosed for economically producing a very high quality bisphenol A product by a multistage crystallization process utilizing a new cross-flow wash design whereby a high purity wash phenol stream is fed to every washing stage, optionally also in combination with a modified stream flow/recycle design which avoids increased by product production and yield losses otherwise expected from processing increased volumes of wash phenol.