Patent ID: 6974888

Claim:
A process for preparing an alkenyl aryl, which process comprises: preparing an alkylaryl hydroxide containing product, by a process comprising: (a) oxidating an alkylaryl compound to obtain reaction product containing alkylaryl hydroperoxide; (b) contacting with water at least part of the alkylaryl hydroperoxide containing reaction product obtained in step (a) which reaction product contains less than 0.05% wt of sodium; (c) separating the product of step (b) into a hydrocarbonaceous phase containing alkylaryl hydroperoxide and an aqueous phase; (d) optionally repeating process steps (b) and (c) one or more times; (e) contacting at least part of the hydrocarbonaceous phase containing alkylaryl hydroperoxide obtained in step (c) or (d) with olefin and catalyst to obtain alkylaryl hydroxide and oxirane compound; (f) separating at least part of the oxirane compound from the alkylaryl hydroxide; and, dehydrating at least part of the alkylaryl hydroxide obtained in step (f) to an alkenyl aryl.