Patent ID: 6703529
Filing Date: 2004-03-09
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for the production of cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol mixture from cyclohexane together with byproduct recovery, said process comprising:(i) oxidizing cyclohexane to obtain air oxidation tails; (ii) contacting the air oxidation tails with water; (iii) separating the mixture resulting from step (ii) into a first phase and a second phase, said first phase comprising substantially aqueous components and said second phase comprising cyclohexyl hydroperoxide and organic components; (iv) decomposing the cyclohexyl hydroperoxide in the organic phase from step (iii) to cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol; (v) refining of the cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone mixture obtained in step (iv) and (vi) separating chromium from nonvolatile residue produced in step (v) by either (step a) contacting the non-volatile residue or at least a portion of the organic content of the non-volatile residue with an acidic compound, or (step b) contacting the non-volatile residue or at least a portion of the organic content of the non-volatile residue with an aqueous electrolyte solution, followed by separation of the aqueous phase from the organic phase, or both (step a) and (step b) sequentially, or (step b) and (step a) sequentially.