Editing Cumene process (section)

{{Short description|Industrial process}}
[[File:Propylene+C6H6.svg|344px|thumb|right|First stage of Hock process: alkylation of benzene with propylene.]]
[[File:Hockpart2.svg|thumb|344px|right|Second stage of Hock process: [[autoxidation]] of cumene.]]

The '''cumene process''' ('''cumene-phenol process''', '''Hock process''') is an [[industrial process]] for synthesizing [[phenol]] and [[acetone]] from [[benzene]] and [[propylene]]. The term stems from [[cumene]] (isopropyl benzene), the intermediate material during the process. It was invented by R. Ūdris and P. Sergeyev in 1942 (USSR),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://izgudrojumi.lza.lv/izg_en.php?id=54|title=Latvian|access-date=2011-02-27|archive-date=2016-03-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303201522/http://izgudrojumi.lza.lv/izg_en.php?id=54|url-status=dead}}</ref> and independently by Heinrich Hock in 1944.<ref>Hock, H. and Lang, S. (1944), Autoxydation von Kohlenwasserstoffen, IX. Mitteil.: Über Peroxyde von Benzol-Derivaten. [[Berichte der deutschen chemischen Gesellschaft]] (A and B Series), 77: 257–264 {{doi|10.1002/cber.19440770321}}</ref><ref>''Concise Encyclopedia Chemistry'' (1993) Mary Eagleso</ref>

This process converts two relatively cheap starting materials, [[benzene]] and [[propylene]], into two more valuable ones, [[phenol]] and [[acetone]]. Other reactants required are [[oxygen]] from air and small amounts of a [[radical initiator]]. Most of the worldwide production of phenol and [[acetone]] is now based on this method. In 2022, nearly 10.8 million tonnes of phenol was produced by the cumene process.<ref>{{cite web | title=Phenol Market Size, Share, Analysis & Forecast, 2035 – ChemAnalyst | website=ChemAnalyst | url=https://www.chemanalyst.com/industry-report/phenol-market-184 | access-date=2024-04-09}}</ref> In order for this process to be economical, there must also be demand for the [[acetone]] by-product as well as the [[phenol]].<ref name=Plotkin2006>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/feature_pro.html?id=c373e908e6e847ac8f6a17245d830100 |title=Direct Routes to Phenol |access-date=2006-12-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070409042033/http://www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/feature_pro.html?id=c373e908e6e847ac8f6a17245d830100 |archive-date=2007-04-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref>