Patent ID: 9469589
Filing Date: 2016-10-18
CPC Classification: C07C

Claim Text:
1. A process for producing phenol, the process comprising: (a) contacting cyclohexylbenzene with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of an oxidation catalyst under oxidation conditions effective to produce an oxidation effluent comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide at a first concentration Con1 and residual cyclohexylbenzene; (b) concentrating at least a portion of the oxidation effluent to produce a cleavage feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide at a second concentration Con2, where Con2>Con1; and (c) contacting a cleavage reaction mixture formed from the cleavage feed with a solid acid catalyst in a cleavage reaction zone under conditions effective to produce a cleavage product comprising phenol and cyclohexanone; (d) dividing the cleavage product into a first fraction and a second fraction, each comprising phenol and cyclohexanone; (e) supplying a polar solvent comprising water to the second fraction to form a combined recycle stream; and (f) providing the combined recycle stream to the cleavage reaction zone.