Patent ID: 8013191

Claim:
A two-step method for removing, from crude phenol, a plurality of predetermined undesirable impurities comprising at least hydroxyacetone and aldehydes, comprising the steps of: (a) at a first step, utilizing a first transitional heterogeneous catalyst comprising a transitional valency metal, in conjunction with air oxygen delivered at a predetermined flow rate, to oxidize, by first transitional heterogeneous catalyst, serving as an oxidizing agent, at least a portion of the plural undesirable impurities, comprising hydroxyacetone and aldehydes, upon contact therewith, by transferring its oxygen content thereto, under first predetermined operating conditions, thereby: (1) transforming, by said first transitional heterogeneous catalyst, at least a portion of the first plural undesirable impurities into an oxidation treatment product that is readily separable from phenol, and (2) at least partially regenerating said first transitional heterogeneous catalyst by substantially simultaneously regenerating said transitional valency metal thereof by action of air oxygen thereon, such that said transitional valency metal transitions from a lower valency state in which said transitional valency metal lacks oxidation properties, to a higher valency state in which said transitional valency metal comprises catalytic properties and is operable to oxidize the hydroxyacetone and the aldehydes undesirable impurities, upon contact therewith, by transferring its oxygen content thereto; and (b) at a second step, utilizing a second heterogeneous catalyst having acidic properties and being different from said first heterogeneous catalyst, to treat remaining unoxidized plural impurities, under second, predetermined operating conditions, to form plural treated byproducts that are readily separable from phenol, to enable subsequent production of desirable purified phenol by removal of said oxidation treatment product and said plural treated byproducts therefrom.