Cumene Hydroperoxide: Air Blown through Cumene at 110 °C

Cumene hydroperoxide is the peroxide that starts the ABS emulsion polymerisation. The process of Armstrong and others (Hercules, US 2,632,773, 1953) simply blows air through hot cumene, with a little sodium carbonate, at 110 °C and 100 psi, and keeps the solution at about 20 % hydroperoxide by feeding fresh cumene and drawing product off. Traces of styrene or of copper, cobalt or manganese spoil it. Organic peroxides can decompose violently: never concentrate or overheat. The picture: our diagram.