Patent ID: 6888034

Claim:
A cyclohexane oxidation process that comprises (a) introducing into a reaction zone, a first stream of liquid cyclohexane at a first flow rate and an oxygen-containing gas, thereby contacting said first stream of cyclohexane and said oxygen containing gas, optionally in the presence of a cyclohexane oxidation catalyst, to produce a primary liquid reaction product that comprises cyclohexyl hydroperoxide (CHHP), cyclohexanone (K) and cyclohexanol (A), (b) withdrawing from said primary reaction zone said liquid reaction product, (c) withdrawing from said primary reaction zone a primary reaction zone gas that comprises unreacted gaseous cyclohexane and 0.5 to 6.0 vol % oxygen, (d) introducing into a clean-up reaction zone the primary reaction zone gas and a second stream of liquid cyclohexane at a second flow rate that is lower than said first flow rate of the first stream of cyclohexane, thereby containing the primary reaction gas with the second stream of liquid cyclohexane to produce a clean-up reaction product that comprises CHHP, K and A, and (e) withdrawing from said clean-up reaction zone a clean-up reaction zone gas that comprises oxygen in a concentration that is lower than the oxygen concentration in the primary reaction zone gas.