PROCESS FOR PRODUCING PHENOL

摘要

In a process for producing phenol and/or cyclohexanone, cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with an oxygen-containing gas under conditions effective to produce an oxidation effluent containing cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide. At least a portion of the oxidation effluent containing cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is then contacted with a cleavage catalyst under conditions effective to produce a cleavage effluent containing phenol and cyclohexanone. At least one of the oxidation effluent and the cleavage effluent contains a by product comprising a mixture of isomers of phenylcyclohexanol and/or phenylcyclohexanone, in which the 2-phenyl isomer (s) is present in an amount less than 20% of the mixture. At least a portion of the at least one effluent containing the isomer mixture is contacted with a dehydration catalyst under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the mixture to isomers of phenylcyclohexene, with very low ring rearrangement to produce 1-methylcyclopentenylbenzene and cyclopentenylmethylbenzene.