Phosphoric acid
Cumene is formed in the gas-phase Friedel–Crafts alkylation of benzene by propylene. Benzene and propylene are compressed together to a pressure of 30 standard atmospheres at 250 °C in presence of a catalytic Lewis acid. Phosphoric acid is often favored over aluminium halides. Cumene is oxidized in air, which removes the tertiary benzylic hydrogen from cumene and hence forms a cumene radical: