The invention belongs to the technical field of coalification and synthesis and separation of organic products, and particularly relates to a method for separating a m-
cresol / p-
cresol / o-
ethyl phenol mixture and producing a byproduct 2, 4-
xylenol. The method comprises the following steps: carrying out
fixed bed catalytic
methylation reaction on a m-
cresol and p-cresol mixture
raw material with high o-
ethyl phenol content and
methanol, rectifying
methylation reactants to obtain 2, 4, 6-tricresol and a mixture of 2, 3, 6-tricresol and 2-ethyl-4, 6-
xylenol, and carrying out catalytic deethylation reaction on the 2, 4, 6-tricresol and the mixture of 2, 3, 6-tricresol and 2-ethyl-4, 6-
xylenol to obtain the 2, 4, 6-tricresol. The method comprises the following steps of: adding a mixture of 3, 4-xylenol, 2, 4, 6-tricresol and 2, 3, 6-tricresol, and rectifying again to obtain 2, 4-xylenol, 2, 4, 6-tricresol and 2, 3, 6-tricresol, so that the application field of m-cresol and p-cresol is expanded, and the separation of m-cresol and p-cresol with high
ethyl phenol content extracted from
tar phenol is realized.