A NOVEL PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HIGH PURITY AND ULTRAPURE BISPHENOL-A

摘要

A process for the production of high purity and ultrapure bisphenol-A is provided in which 4-12 mol phenol is reacted with 1 mol acetone in a multistage suspended bed reactor column (41) comprising a plurality of perforated trays (42) and downcomers (43) both having screens (44 and 45) provided thereon and catalytic resin particles (46) placed on the screens (44 and 45) in association with the trays (42). In operation, all of phenol is charged to the uppermost tray and all the required acetone is introduced to the column (41) through several inlets (52) along the wall of the column (41). An inert gas rising through the trays (42) and the catalytic particles (46) thereon stirs the reaction liquid and particles (46) therein to form a suspension and strips water generated during the reaction of phenol and acetone. Subsequently, the reaction mixture in the column is cooled to form adduct crystals of bisphenol-A with phenol and mother liquor, the adduct crystals are separated from the mother liquor, and phenol is removed from the adduct crystals. As a result of the stripping of water from the reaction mixture, high quality bisphenol-A can be obtained without the inclusion of concentration step before crystallization.