Bayer Aktiengesellschaft

Jurgen Baumert

Christoph Jupe

Helmut Waldmann

Gunther Schummer

Gunter Schummer

A process for the preparation of pyrocatechol and hydroquinone by reaction of phenol with a peroxidic hydroxylating reagent followed by working-up of the resultant reaction mixture is disclosed. The work-up procedure is carried out in a first rectification column operated under specified conditions and having specified separation stages in a rectification section and a stripping section whereby there is distilled overhead components which boil at a temperature lower than phenol. Taken off from the bottom is a mixture comprising phenol and materials of higher boiling point which are fed into a second rectification column which is also operated under very specified conditions whereby pure phenol is recovered overhead leaving a bottoms comprising phenol pyrocatechol and hydroquinone which are then processed to separate phenol from a mixture of pyrocatechol and hydroquinone.

Process for the preparation of pyrocatechol and hydroquinone

A process for the isolation of hydroquinone, pyrocatechol, phenol and carboxylic acid from the reaction mixture containing the same such as one obtained by reaction of phenol with percarboxylic acid is disclosed. The reaction mixture is fed to a first rectification column and subjected to distillation whereby there is obtained a bottoms product containing pyrocatechol, hydroquinone and phenol. The top product is largely condensed and recycled, there being withdrawn from the top of the rectification column a mixture comprising phenol and carboxylic acid. The phenol and carboxylic acid mixture are continuously fed to a second rectification column where carboxylic acid is separated from phenol and substantially pure phenol is withdrawn from the stripping section and/or bottom of the second rectification column.

A process is described for the isolation of pyrocatechol and hydroquinone from mixtures containing the same, and phenol and higher boiling accompanying substances. The mixture can be one obtained by reacting phenol with a peroxidic hydroxylating agent and removing some of the phenol and the substances which have a lower boiling point than phenol. The mixture is subjected to a first rectification in which phenol and substances which have a boiling point between phenol and pyrocatechol are obtained overhead to leave behind a bottom product containing pyrocatechol and hydroquinone. The bottom product is subjected to a second rectification in which the pyrocatechol is obtained overhead to leave behind a bottom product containing hydroquinone and higher boiling accompanying substances. This bottom product is fed to a concentrating unit in which hydroquinone is evaporated overhead to leave behind high boiling accompanying substances as residue.

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Cologne, Germany

Jurgen Baumert