Patent ID: 8389773
Filing Date: 2013-03-05
Classification: B01J,C07C,C08F

Abstract:
1. Method for preparing cyclohexanone from phenol in a first process, the first process being a cyclohexanone production process making use of a catalyst comprising at least one catalytically active metal selected from platinum and palladium, comprising a) hydrogenating phenol to form a product stream comprising cyclohexanone, phenol and side-products, including cyclohexanol and recycling side product (RSP); b) separating at least part of the product stream, or at least part of the product stream from which one or more components having a lower boiling point than cyclohexanone have been removed, into a first fraction comprising cyclohexanone and a second fraction comprising phenol, cyclohexanol and RSP, using distillation; c) separating the second fraction into a third fraction, rich in cyclohexanol and comprising RSP, and a fourth fraction, rich in phenol and usually comprising RSP, using distillation; and d) continuously or discontinuously introducing at least part of said third fraction rich in cyclohexanol and comprising RSP into a second process, in which second process RSP is removed from cyclohexanol and/or a conversion product of cyclohexanol formed in the second process.