# Phenol and acetone

Phenol and its co-product acetone, made together from cumene, feed bisphenol A, phenolic resins, nylon, solvents and acrylic plastics.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/

Commodity chemicals · Aromatics · No. 30

- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- about 12.5 Mt of phenol and 7.5 Mt of acetone a year (2024, indicative, industry estimates)
- 1.8 t CO₂e per t
- HS 290711, 291411
 Commodity chemicals · Aromatics · Foundation · Matter

You cannot make phenol without making acetone too: every tonne arrives with about 0.62 tonnes of its twin.

Chart: Illustration: Phenol and acetone

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

About 95% of phenol comes from the cumene process: benzene and propylene make cumene, air turns it into a hydroperoxide, and acid splits that into phenol and acetone.

##### Three things to know

1. Phenol and acetone come out of the cumene process in a fixed ratio, so producers must sell both and the pair is priced together.
2. China's phenol capacity rose from 3 Mt a year in 2019 to 7.19 Mt in 2025, keeping margins weak since 2023.
3. India is adding capacity: Haldia Petrochemicals plans 350 kt a year by end-2026 and Deepak a new 300 kt plant.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Benzene, propylene**0.87 t benzene, 0.47 t propylene
2. 2 **Cumene**Zeolite alkylation joins the two
3. 3 **Hydroperoxide**Cumene oxidised with air
4. 4 **Acid cleavage**Splits into phenol and acetone, 1:0.62
5. 5 **Derivatives**BPA, phenolic resins, nylon, solvents, MMA
 Covered in [The chemical industry: what it makes and how it is organisedChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/chem-industry-map/)[The economics of a chemical plant: costs, prices and profitChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/plant-economics-costs-and-profit/)[Pharmaceuticals and fermentation: from molecule to medicineChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/pharmaceuticals-and-fermentation/)

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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/links/index.md)