Patent ID: 9255053
Filing Date: 2016-02-09
CPC Classification: C07C

Claim Text:
1. A method of treating a residue stream from the production of bisphenol-A, the method comprising: (a) contacting the residue stream 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; (b) recovering acetone 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; (c) treating the phenol-containing mixed phase stream with a water-immiscible organic solvent to extract phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds into said solvent and produce an organic phase containing said solvent, phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy aromatic compounds and an aqueous phase with reduced concentrations of phenol and unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds; (d) recovering at least part of the phenol and the organic solvent from the organic phase; and (e) purging at least part of the remaining unhydrolyzed heavy organic compounds.