Patent ID: 8853482

Claim:
A process for producing cyclohexylbenzene from benzene, the process comprising: (a) contacting benzene and hydrogen in a first reaction zone with a catalyst under hydroalkylation conditions to produce a first effluent comprising cyclohexylbenzene, unreacted benzene and at least one polycyclohexylbenzene; (b) separating at least a portion of the first effluent into a first stream comprising the unreacted benzene, a second stream comprising the cyclohexylbenzene and a third stream comprising the polycyclohexylbenzene; (c) feeding at least a portion of the third stream into a second reaction zone; and (d) contacting the third stream in the second reaction zone with an acid catalyst under conditions effective to dealkylate at least a portion of the polycyclohexylbenzene and produce a second effluent comprising at least one C 6 compound and at least one C 12 compound.