stylistic:style_transfer, information:extraction, information:highlighting
Hydrolysis of benzenesulfonic acid

The original commercial route was developed by Bayer and Monsanto in the early 1900s, based on discoveries by Wurtz and Kekule. The method involves the reaction of strong base with benzenesulfonic acid, proceeding by the reaction of hydroxide with sodium benzenesulfonate to give sodium phenoxide. Acidification of the latter gives phenol. The net conversion is: