Production and purification of diphenylolalkanes

Claim 1

A CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF 2,2-(4,4''DIHYDROXYDIPHENYL) PROPANE HAVING A FREEZING POINT GREATER THAN THE 156.5 DEGREES CENTIGRADE INCLUDING THE STEPS OF (1) REACTING ONE MOLE OF ACETONE WITH AT LEAST THREE MOLS OF PHENOL IN THE PRESENCE OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID AND THE REACTION PRODUCT EXTRACTION IMPURITIES RECOVERED FROM STEP (6) BELOW, AT A TEMPERATURE NOT EXCEEDING EIGHTY DEGREES CENTIGRADE UNTIL THE ACETONE HAS BEEN ESSENTIALLY CONSUMED, TO FORM A REACTION MIXTURE; (2) DISTILLING SUBSTANTIALLY ALL THE WATER, HYDROCHLORIC ACID AND UNREACTED PHENOL FROM THE REACTION MIXTURE TO FORM CRUDE 2,2-(4,4''DIHYDROXYDIPHENYL) PROPANE; (3) VACUUM DISTILLING THE CRUDE 2,2-(4,4''-DIHYDROXYDIPHENYL) PROPANE TO FORM A DISTILLATE OF 2,2-(4,4''-DIHYDROXYDIPHENYL) PROPANE, EXTRACTING TILLATE OF 2,2-(4,4''-DIHYDROXYDIPHENYL) PROPANE, EXTRACTING THE SAID DISTILLATE WITH AN AROMATIC SOLVENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF BENZENE, TOLUENE AND XYLENE, WHEREBY 2,2-(4,4''-DIHYDROXYDIPHENYL) PROPANE AND A SOLVENT SOLUTION OF EXTRACTED IMPURITIES ARE SEPARATELY PRODUCED (5) DISTILLING THE SOLVENT FROM THE EXTRACTED IMPURITIES AND (6) RECYCLING THE RESULTANT EXTRACTED IMPURITIES TO STEP (1).