The invention relates to the technical field of
organic synthesis and
chemical separation, in particular to a method for synthesizing phenolic resin and by-producing ortho-
alkylphenol and para-
alkylphenol, which is characterized in that high-activity meta-
phenol and most
phenol are systematically and preferentially reacted with
formaldehyde by controlling the feeding sequence and reaction depth of reactants according to the difference of reaction rates of different
phenols and
formaldehyde; according to the method, a phenolic resin product is subjected to
dehydration to generate a phenolic resin
polymer, most of low-activity ortho-
alkylphenol and para-alkylphenol are retained in unreacted substances due to slow reaction, the unreacted
phenols and water are evaporated in the
dehydration process, primary separation from the resin product is realized, and a small amount of
formaldehyde and incompletely reacted meta-
phenol still exist in the evaporated water phase; according to the method, the ortho-phenol and para-phenol are subjected to a further reaction to generate a water-soluble
oligomer, so that meta-phenol impurities are effectively prevented from being mixed into a subsequent
oil phase, high purity of ortho-phenol and para-phenol products is ensured, and finally separation from water and the water-soluble impurities is completed through
solvent extraction.