Process for separating the ingredients of a reaction mixture

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR SEPARATING THE INGREDIENTS OF A REACTION MIXTURE OBTAINED BY THE OXIDATION OF CUMENE AND SUBSEQUENT CLEAVAGE OF THE DYDROPEROXIDE MIXTURE, SAID MIXTURE CONTAINING ACETONE, CUMENE, A-METHYL STYRENE, PHENOL, CUMYL PHENOL, ACETOPHENONE AND WATER, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING FREEING SAID REACTION MIXTURTE, FROM ACETONE BY FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION, IN WHICH ACETONE IS DISTILLED OFF TOGETHER WITH ALDEHYDES AS A TOP PRODUCT OF DISTILLATION, SUBJECTING THE RESIDUAL MIXTURE THUS FREED FROM ACETONE, TO AZEOTROPIC FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER UNDER VACUUM, AT TEMPERATURES SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW 100* C., WATER BEING PRESENT IN THE SUMP LIQUID DURING THE ENTIRE STEP OF THIS FRACTIONAL AZEOTROPIC DISTILLATION, IN ORDER TO COMPLETELY DISTILL OFF CUMENE AND A-METHYL STYRENE IN THE FORM OF A HEAD PRODUCT WHICH IS PRACTICALLY FREE FROM PHENOL, AND CONSISTS OF AN AZEOTROPIC MIXTURE OF CUMENE, A-METHYL STYRENE AND WATER.