PHENOXIDE ALLYLATION IN A PHASE-TRANSFER CATALYTIC EXTRACTION SYSTEM

Under two-phase conditions, the extraction/removal of phenol from an a queous alkaline medium via reaction with allyl bromide dissolved in di chloromethane was investigated in this study using tetra-n-butylammoni um bromide as a phase-transfer catalyst. The concentrations of base, r eactant and catalyst, and solvents were evaluated to find the optimum condition in this reaction. In examining 10 kinds of phase-transfer ca talysts, aliquat 336, tetra-n-butylammonium iodide, tetra-n-butylphosp honium bromide, and benzyltributylammonium bromide were found to be th e best for increasing the volumetric rate of extraction. The extractiv e efficiency of phenol increased with increasing basic concentration a nd was significantly influenced by the activity of solvent. The conver sion of phenol in a batch-agitated reactor was found to be more than 9 9% under suitable conditions of catalyst, solvent, reactant, and basic concentration.