The homogeneous gas phase oxidation of benzene to phenol with
air has been studied with the objective of finding the economically
optimum conditions for a commercial process for the production of
phenol. The experimental work was carried out in the temperature
range of 585°C to 650°C, reaction times of 0.4 to 1.2 seconds, and
at a total pressure of one atmosphere. Most of the experiments were
carried out in a quartz-lined reactor.
It was found that benzene (less than 0.1% impurities) gave
lower selectivities for phenol than Analar benzene which contained
0.3% to 0.5% impurities. The effect of a homogeneous promoter
(chloroform) on the oxidation reaction was also studied. [Continues.
