LOW TEMPERATURE HYDRODEALKYLATION OF ALKYLATED PHENOLS

摘要

A process for thermal dealkylation of alkylated phenols feedstocks, which comprises reacting a feed mixture containing mono and poly-alkylated phenols and gaseous hydrogen at a temperature ranging from about 900 to about 1100.degree.F, a hydrogen partial pressure of 300 to 1600 psig, and a space velocity of 0.2 to 3.0 volume feed/hr/volume of reactor to produce a phenol-containing product at increased selectivity and yield of phenol. For feedstream mixtures containing more than about 10 W % phenols, a prior distillation step is preferably used to remove the excess phenol as product and thus avoid undesired dehydroxylation reactions in the hydrodealkylation step in which the feed phenol concentration is usually about 2-8 W %.