Patent ID: 9656934
Date: 2017-05-23
CPC Classifications: C07C

Claim:
1. A continuous process for producing phenol, the process comprising: (a) continuously supplying a cleavage feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide to a cleavage reaction zone; (b) continuously contacting a cleavage reaction mixture comprising the cleavage feed in the cleavage reaction zone with a solid acid catalyst under conditions effective to continuously produce a cleavage effluent comprising phenol and cyclohexanone, wherein the cleavage reaction mixture further comprises from 20 wt % to 40 wt % phenol; (c) dividing the cleavage effluent into at least a cleavage product and a cleavage recycle; and (d) supplying the cleavage recycle and a polar solvent to the cleavage reaction zone to produce the cleavage reaction mixture with the cleavage feed; wherein at least part of the polar solvent is combined with the cleavage recycle to produce a combined stream which is continuously supplied to the cleavage reaction zone in (d).