Method for purifying phenol

1. A method for purifying phenol, comprising:

supplying a feed comprising phenol, acetone, hydroxyacetone and water to a distillation column at 60 to 95° C.;

separating the feed into a first fraction which comprises the acetone and separates to the upper part of the distillation column and a second fraction which comprises the phenol and separates to the lower part of the distillation column; and

recovering the first fraction and the second fraction, respectively,

wherein the distillation column comprises a middle inlet to which the feed is input; a first line from which the first fraction is extracted; and a second line from which a second fraction is extracted,

wherein the distillation column does not comprise a middle outlet, and

wherein the feed comprises 40 to 70 wt % of the phenol, 15 to 45 wt % of the acetone, 0.02 to 5 wt % of the hydroxyacetone, and 9 to 11 wt % of water with respect to the total weight of the feed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feed is prepared by oxidizing an alkylaryl compound to prepare a reaction mixture comprising an alkylaryl hydroperoxide and an unreacted alkylaryl compound and performing a cleavage reaction on the reaction mixture.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the feed comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of cumene, α-methyl styrene, methanol, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, cumylphenol, dicumyl peroxide, an α-methyl styrene dimer, mesityl oxide, 2-methylbenzofuran and phenol tar.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feed is supplied to the column at 75 to 95° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feed has a pH of 3 to 10.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydroxyacetone in the second fraction is contained at 200 ppm or less based on weight of the second fraction.