Production of propylene oxide

摘要

In a process for producing propylene oxide, cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with an oxygen-containing compound under oxidation conditions with or without a suitable catalyst to produce an oxidation reaction effluent comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide. At least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is then reacted with propylene in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst under conditions effective to produce an epoxidation reaction effluent comprising phenylcyclohexanol and propylene oxide.

主权项

1. A process for co-producing phenol and propylene oxide, the process comprising:
(a) contacting a composition comprising at least 0.5 wt % cyclohexylbenzene based upon the total weight of the composition with an oxygen-containing compound under oxidation conditions to produce an oxidation reaction effluent comprising at least 0.5 wt % cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide based upon the total weight of the oxidation reaction effluent; and (b) reacting at least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide produced in (a) with propylene in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst under conditions effective to produce an epoxidation reaction effluent comprising phenylcyclohexanol and propylene oxide; (c) separating at least a portion of the propylene oxide from the epoxidation reaction effluent to leave a phenylcyclohexanol-containing stream; (d) dehydrating at least a portion of the phenylcyclohexanol in said phenylcyclohexanol-containing stream to phenylcyclohexene; (e) hydrogenating at least a portion of the phenylcyclohexene from (d) to cyclohexylbenzene; and (f) recycling at least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene from (e) to said contacting (a).