Hydroalkylation process

摘要

In a process for producing phenol, benzene is hydroalkylated with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst under conditions effective to produce a hydroalkylation reaction product comprising cyclohexylbenzene and cyclohexane. At least a portion of the cyclohexane from said hydroalkylation reaction product is then dehydrogenated to produce a dehydrogenation effluent comprising benzene, toluene and hydrogen. At least a portion of the dehydrogenation effluent is washed with a benzene-containing stream to transfer at least a portion of the toluene from the dehydrogenation effluent to the benzene-containing stream.

主权项

1. A hydroalkylation process comprising:
(a) hydroalkylating benzene with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst under conditions effective to produce a hydroalkylation reaction product comprising cyclohexylbenzene and cyclohexane; (b) contacting at least a portion of the hydroalkylation reaction product with a dehydrogenation catalyst to produce a dehydrogenation effluent having at least a portion of the cyclohexane converted to benzene and hydrogen, wherein the dehydrogenation effluent further comprises toluene; and (c) washing at least a portion of the dehydrogenation effluent with a benzene-containing stream to produce a toluene-depleted dehydrogenation effluent and a wash stream containing at least a portion of the toluene from the dehydrogenation effluent, wherein the at least a portion of the dehydrogenation effluent is in the vapor phase and the benzene-containing stream is in the liquid phase.