Background Over 10 million metric tons of phenol are produced annually, making it a commodity chemical with a multibillion-dollar market. Phenol is primarily used as an intermediate in the production of polymers and adhesives. The current industrial production method is the cumene process, a complex, multi-step process that limits yield and produces...

Background Isooctane (2,2,4-trimethylpentane) is an important ingredient in hydrocarbon fuels that power countless modern machines. One conventional method for synthesizing isooctane is through the alkylation process. Alkylation starts with isobutane and isobutene and requires large quantities of sulfuric acid or hydrofluoric acid to achieve dimerization,...