Patent ID: 9688602
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: C07C

Claim:
1. A process for producing a methyl-substituted biphenyl compound, the process comprising: (a) contacting at least one methyl-substituted cyclohexylbenzene compound of the formula: with a dehydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising at least one methyl-substituted biphenyl compound wherein each of m and n is independently an integer from 1 to 3, wherein the conditions in (a) include a temperature from about 200° C. to about 600° C. and a pressure from about 100 kPa to about 3550 kPa; and wherein the dehydrogenation catalyst comprises an element or compound thereof from Group 10 of the Periodic Table of Elements and tin or a tin-based compound dispersed on a refractory support, wherein the refractory support has one or more of the following properties: (i) an alpha value between 0.1 to 10; (ii) a combined Bronsted and Lewis acid activity from 0.1 to 0.5 mmol/gm of the dehydrogenation catalyst; and (iii) a temperature programmed ammonia adsorption from 0.1 to 1 mmol/gm of the dehydrogenation catalyst.