KINETICS AND EXTRACTION OF PHENOL IN PHASE-TRANSFER-CATALYZED REACTION

Under two-phase conditions, the feasibility of extracting/removing phe nol from aqueous alkaline medium via reaction with allyl bromide disso lved in dichloromethane was investigated using phase-transfer catalyst s in a stirred cell. The effects of the concentrations of base, reacta nt and catalyst, and temperature were also evaluated to obtain the opt imum reaction conditions. According to these results, the extractive e fficiency of phenolic substances varied strongly with increasing base concentration. The specific extraction rate, diffusivity, mass transfe r coefficient and distribution coefficient of an intermediate product were determined to explain the reaction mechanism by the proposed theo retical model. During reaction, the concentration of the intermediate product in the organic phase was also measured, and a simulation metho d was used to examine the mass transfer behavior of the intermediate p roduct in the liquid-liquid system.