Dhaka University Journal of Applied Science & Engineering

Plackett-Burman design was employed to study the reaction of phenol with indene in the presence of perchloric acid as catalyst for screening variables. The variables chosen for the investigation were temperature, molar ratio of phenol to indene, amount of perchloric acid (o/o by wt. of phenol), addition time (t" h), stirring time (t, h), concentration of perchloric acid (%). Among these variables temperature, molar ratio of phenol to indene and amount of perchloric acid were found to be important. A set of trials was planned according to a 3 factor 2level Yates pattern experimental design with 2 replicates and the center point trial with 4 replicates. The critical response was the yield of indanyl phenol. Main effects as well as two- and three-factor interaction effects were statistically significant. A polynomial model was developed and the adequacy of the suggested model was checked up.

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