In the industrial preparation of phenol from cumene, the reaction proceeds via the formation of an intermediate A followed by acid hydrolysis to yield phenol and a commercially important byproduct B . Cumene O ₂ A H ^+ / H ₂ O Phenol + B Identify the intermediate A and byproduct B .

Step-by-step solution

In the industrial preparation of phenol from cumene (isopropylbenzene), the first step involves the aerial oxidation of cumene to form cumene hydroperoxide (Intermediate A ). In this molecule, the - O - O - H group is attached to the tertiary benzylic carbon. Upon subsequent treatment with dilute acid ( H ^+ / H ₂ O ), cumene hydroperoxide undergoes hydrolysis and rearrangement to yield phenol and acetone (propan-2-one) as a commercially important byproduct (Compound B ). Therefore, A is cumene hydroperoxide and B