PURPOSE: To enable industrial separation of m-ethylphenol and p-ethyl-phenol from a mixture containing ethylphenol isomers in high separation rate.
CONSTITUTION: In the separation of m- and p-ethylphenol from a mixture containing ethylphenol isomers through adsorption and desorption, a K-Y type zeolite is used as an adsorbent, while an aliphatic 2-4C alcohol single or a combination thereof is used as a desorbing agent. The adsorption and desorption treatment is performed at a temperature higher than the boiling point of the desorbent under such a pressure that can keep the substrate to be separated, desorbent and separated isomers in a liquid phase to separate m-ethylphenol as raffinate from p-ethylphenol as an extract. The adsorption and desorption is preferably effected using a pseudomoving bed, and the extract is further subjected to crystallization to give p-ethylphenol of high purity.
HAKOZAKI TOMONORI
IDAI TSUTOMU
SHIMURA MITSUNORI
YOKOTA ZENICHI
SHIRATO YOSHIMI
CHIYODA CHEM ENG CONSTRUCT CO