SULFONIZATION OF BENZENE IN FILM REACTORS

Experiments have been carried out to sulfonate benzene in continous mo de in heterogeneous phase using rotary film-reactor of outstanding hea t- and material-transport. To monitor the sulfonation, a method to mea sure the quantity of the sulfonic acid isomers and the diphenyl sulfon e sulfonic acid type by-products has been developed by using inverse-p hase high pressure liquidchromatography. It was possible to produce be nzenesulfonic acid with a 75 - 93% yield related to the input benzene using oleum (free SO3 content 22%) for the sulfonation at 465 K output temperature