Patent ID: 7741523

Claim:
A continuous method for oxidizing a saturated cyclic hydrocarbon by oxygen to a mixture of hydroperoxide, alcohol and ketone, comprising the steps of: introducing a liquid stream of the hydrocarbon to be oxidized and a gas stream containing oxygen in cocurrent flow at the bottom of a column, supplying a gas stream containing oxygen to various stages of the column, wherein the quantities of oxygen supplied to each stage of the column decrease along the flow direction of the liquid phase in the column, forming a degasified liquid phase at the top of the column by forming an overhead gas at the top of the column, supplying a stream of non-oxidizing gas to the overhead gas and/or in the liquid phase in the degasification zone or immediately upstream thereof, at a sufficient flow rate to maintain the oxygen concentration of the overhead gas at a volumetric concentration not exceeding the upper oxygen concentration limit wherein the overhead gas is present in an unexplosive state, and withdrawing the degasified liquid phase.