Patent ID: 6700022
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for decomposing cyclohexyl-hydroperoxide to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, said process comprising:(a) washing cyclohexane air oxidizer tails with water; (b) separating the phases that result from step (a); (c) contacting the water-washed air oxidizer tails with aqueous caustic solution; (d) separating the phases that result from step (c); (e) contacting the water washed air oxidizer tails organic phase with a catalyst comprising cobalt salt in caustic aqueous solution; (f) agitating the two-phase product of step (e); (g) separating the phases; (h) removing the aqueous caustic phase containing the cobalt; (i) washing the organic phase with water; (j) optionally, recycling part of the aqueous caustic phase from step (h) back to step (c); (k) optionally, recycling the water from previous washing step (j) back to step (a).