An industrial process for making phenol from benzene. A mixture of benzene vapour and propene is passed over a phosphoric acid catalyst at 250°C and high pressure
The product is called cumene, and it can be oxidized in air to a peroxide, C6H5C(CH3)2O2H. This reacts with dilute acid to give phenol (C6H5OH) and propanone (acetone, CH3OCH3), which is a valuable by-product.