Patent ID: 8247627
Filing Date: 2012-08-21
Classification: B01J,C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A process for producing phenol and/or cyclohexanone, the process comprising: (a) contacting benzene and hydrogen with a first catalyst under hydroalkylation conditions to produce a first effluent stream comprising cyclohexylbenzene, cyclohexane, and unreacted benzene; (b) supplying at least part of said first effluent stream to a first separation system to divide said first effluent stream part into a cyclohexylbenzene-rich stream, a C6 product stream comprising cyclohexane and benzene; (c) contacting at least part of said C6product stream with a second catalyst under dehydrogenation conditions to convert at least part of the cyclohexane to benzene and produce a second effluent stream comprising benzene and hydrogen; (d) recycling at least part of the second effluent stream to said contacting (a); (e) contacting at least part of said cyclohexylbenzene-rich stream with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a third catalyst under oxidation conditions to oxidize the cyclohexylbenzene in said cyclohexylbenzene-rich stream to produce cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide; and (f) converting cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide from (e) to produce phenol and cyclohexanone.