ACTIVATION AND USE OF HYDROALKYLATION CATALYSTS FOR THE PREPARATION OF CYCLOALKYLAROMATIC COMPOUNDS, PHENOL AND CYCLOHEXANONE

摘要

In a process for activating a hydroalkylation catalyst, a catalyst precursor comprising a solid acid component and a compound of a hydrogenation metal is heated at a heating rate of less than 50°C/ hour in the presence of hydrogen to an activation temperature in a range from 100°C to 260°C and then the heated catalyst precursor is treated with hydrogen for a duration effective to reduce at least a portion of the metal compound to an elemental form. The activated catalyt may be used to make cycloalkylaromatic compounds from aromatic compounds and hydrogen by hydroalkylation, as well as to make phenol and cyclohexanone by further oxidizing the hydroalkylation product from benzene to the hydroperoxide and cleaving that to a mixture of phenol and cyclohexanone.