Vanry - 15-12-2017 at 01:15
Hi !
Everything is in the title. Based on some books, my original idea was:
Benzene + H2SO4 -> benzenesulfonic acid
Benzenesulfonik acid + NaOH -(heat)-> phenol
Phenol + H2O2(35%) -(some catalyst ?)-> cathecol + hydroquinone
Does it seem viable to you ? Did anybody had an idea on the catalyst for the last step ? I have read somewhere that copper and iron sulfate can be
used to selectively made those two and enhance the final yield.
Thank you in advance for your answers 
Chemi Pharma - 15-12-2017 at 11:38
To hydroxylate phenol to cathecol and hydroquinone you will need a chelating agent formed by the mixture of a transition metal salt and an organic
ligant compound, as a catalyzer, to get the reaction between phenol and hydrogen peroxyde runs.
I'm attaching a Patent below that describes the answer to your question.
Further, I attached another patent describing how to separate the mixture of cathecol and hydroquinone you've obtained following the lines above in
each one of the pure products.
Enjoy it.
Attachment: Catechol and Hidroquinone from phenol.pdf (476kB)
This file has been downloaded 362 times
Attachment: Catechol and Hidroquinone separation.pdf (1.3MB)
This file has been downloaded 323 times
[Edited on 15-12-2017 by Chemi Pharma]
Vanry - 16-12-2017 at 07:21
Thank you a lot !
I didn’t expected so much in such a short time 
May I be a bit more insisting by asking were you find that ?
Chemi Pharma - 16-12-2017 at 10:00
I have a large collection of studies, patents, chemical journals and bulletins on the hand.
Some data I searched at the NET, some I caught with other sciencemadness community friends and another chemical foruns.
The most important is you know that here, at Sciencemadness, you can always find a friendly answer to your questions.
You're welcome here. Cheers!
Vanry - 26-12-2017 at 10:58
Just have some more questions:
For the first part with the sulfonation, it appears to be a well known reaction and i was wondering if someone got some precise idea on the
steps/yield.
Same thing for the hydrolysis ^^
I read here:
http://www.sciencemadness.org/smwiki/index.php/Phenol
that it can also be made from chlorobenzene.
what is the most viable/hight yield way ?
thx for reading and answers