Process for preparing high-purity bisphenol A

• US 4,954,661 A
• Filed: 03/09/1989
• Issued: 09/04/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Chemicals Incorporated (Mitsui Chemicals)
• Original Assignee: Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals Incorporated (Mitsui Chemicals)
• Inventors: Kitamura, Takashi, Morimoto, Yoshio, Iimuro, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): LONE, WERREN
• Application Number:
  US07/321,218
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 568/724, 568/722, 568/728, 568/727
• US Class Current: 568/727
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 37/20 using aldehydes or ketones
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 37/84 by crystallisation
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 39/16 Bis-(hydroxyphenyl) alkanes; Tris-(hydroxyphenyl)alkanes

Abstract

A method for preparing high-purity bisphenol A which comprises a principal process comprising a first reaction step for reacting phenol with acetone, a first concentration adjusting step, a first crystallization step for precipitating crystals of the adduct of bisphenol A with phenol, a first separation step for separating a solution containing the crystals of the adduct into the crystals and the mother liquor and a phenol removing step for removing phenol from the crystals of the adduct; and a sub-process comprising a second reaction step for reacting p-isopropenylphenol with phenol, a second concentration adjusting step, a second crystallization step, a second separation step for separating a solution containing the second any crystals of the adduct into the second any crystals and the second mother liquor and a cleaving step, the first mother liquor from the principal process being fed to the sub-process and the second any crystals of the adduct from the sub-process being fed to the principal process, is herein provided.

In addition, a method for preparing high-purity bisphenol A which comprises a principal process comprising a first reaction/catalyst removing step for reacting phenol with acetone and removing the catalyst, a crystallization step for precipitating the adduct of bisphenol A with phenol, a solid-liquid separation step for separating the reaction solution into the crystals of the adduct and the mother liquor and a phenol removing step for removing phenol from the adduct crystals; and a sub-process comprising a second reaction/catalyst removing step for reacting p-isopropenylphenol with phenol and removing the catalyst, a second phenol removing step, a distillation step for separating bisphenol A and low boiling and high boiling substances and a cleaving step, the mother liquor from the principal process being fed to the sub-process and the distilled bisphenol A from the sub-process being fed to the principal process, is also herein provided.

Claims

1. A method for preparing high-purity bisphenol A comprising a principal process which comprises the steps of (1) reacting phenol with acetone at a temperature of 40 to 90°

C. of an acid catalyst which catalyzes the reaction of phenol and acetone to form bisphenol A to obtain a first reaction solution, (2) removing a part of the phenol and/or the catalyst and water from the first reaction solution to form a first concentration adjusted solution, (3) cooling the first concentration adjusted solution to obtain a first slurry containing an adduct of bisphenol A with phenol, (4) subjecting the first slurry to solid-liquid separation to form primary crystals and a first mother liquor and (5) removing phenol from the first crystal to obtain bisphenol A; and

a sub-process which comprises the steps of (6) reacting p-isopropenylphenol with phenol in the presence of an acid catalyst to form a second reaction solution, (7) removing a part of the phenol and/or the catalyst and water from the second reaction solution to form a second concentration adjusted solution, (8) cooling the second concentration adjusted solution to obtain a second slurry, (9) subjecting the second slurry to solid-liquid separation to obtain secondary crystals and a second mother liquor and (10) treating the second mother liquor to obtain p-isopropenylphenol and phenol, the first mother liquor from the principal process being fed to the sub-process and the secondary crystals from the sub-process being fed to the principal process.

2. A method for preparing bisphenol A according to claim 1 wherein the first mother liquor from the principal process is fed to the reaction step in the sub-process and the secondary crystals from the sub-process are fed to the concentration adjusting step in the principal process.

3. A method for preparing bisphenol A according to claim 1 wherein the first mother liquor from the principal process is fed to the concentration adjusting step in the sub-process and the secondary crystals from the sub-process are fed to the concentration adjusting step in the principal process.

4. A method for preparing bisphenol A according to claim 1 wherein the first mother liquor from the principal process is fed to the reaction step in the sub-process and the secondary crystals from the sub-process are fed to the separation step in the principal process.

5. A method for preparing bisphenol A according to claim 1 wherein the first mother liquor from the principal process is fed to the concentration adjusting step in the sub-process and the secondary crystals from the sub-process are fed to the separation step in the principal process.

6. A method for preparing bisphenol A according to claim 1 wherein the first mother liquor from the principal process is fed to the reaction step in the sub-process and the secondary crystals from the sub-process are fed to the phenol removing step in the principal process.

7. A method for preparing bisphenol A according to claim 1 wherein the first mother liquor from the principal process is fed to the concentration adjusting step in the sub-process and the secondary crystals from the sub-process are fed to the phenol removing step in the principal process.

8. A method for preparing high-purity bisphenol A comprising a principal process which comprises the steps of (a) reacting phenol with acetone at a temperature of 40 to 90°

C. in the presence of an acid catalyst which catalyzes the reaction of phenol and acetone to form bisphenol A and removing the acid catalyst from the resulting mixture to obtain a first phenol solution, (b) cooling the first phenol solution to obtain a slurry containing an adduct of bisphenol A with phenol, (c) subjecting the slurry to solid-liquid separation to obtain crystals of the adduct and a mother liquor and (d) removing phenol from the crystals of the adduct to obtain bisphenol A; and

sub-process which comprises the steps of (e) reacting p-isopropenylphenol with phenol in the presence of an acid catalyst and removing the acid catalyst from the resulting mixture to obtain a second phenol solution, (f) removing phenol from the second phenol solution to obtain crude bisphenol A;

(g) separating low boiling and high boiling substances from the crude bisphenol A by distillation to obtain distilled bisphenol A and (h) treating the separated low boiling and high boiling substances to obtain p-isopropenylphenol phenol and phenol, the mother liquor from step (c) of the principal process being fed to the sub-process and the distilled bisphenol A from the sub-process being fed to step (b) of the principal process.

9. A method for preparing bisphenol A according to claim 8 wherein the mother liquor from the principal process is fed to step (e) as a raw material for the reaction in the sub-process.

10. A method for preparing bisphenol A according to claim 8 wherein the mother liquor from the principal process is fed to step (f) in the sub-process.