HYDROPEROXIDE DECOMPOSITION PROCESS

摘要

1. An improved process for decomposing a hydroperoxide to form a decomposition reaction mixture containing a corresponding alcohol and ketone, the improvement comprising decomposing a hydroperoxide by contacting the hydroperoxide with a catalytic amount of a heterogenous catalyst selected from the group consisting of elementary gold and silver. 2. The process according to Claim 1 wherein the heterogenous catalyst is supported on a catalyst support member. 3. The process according to Claim 2 wherein the catalyst support member is selected from the group consisting of SiO2, A12O3, carbon, TiO2, MgO, and zirconium dioxide. 4. The process according to Claim 1 wherein the hydroperoxide is cyclohexylhydroperoxide. 5. The process according to Claim 1 wherein the decomposition reaction temperature is from about 80 degree C to about 170 degree C, and decomposition reaction pressure is from about 69 kPa to about 2760 kPa. 6. The process according to Claim 5 wherein the reaction pressure is from about 276 kPa to about 1380 kPa. 7. The process according to Claim 1 wherein the reaction mixture contains from about 0.5 to about 100 percent by weight cyclohexylperoxide. 8. The process according to Claim 1 wherein the process is run in the presence of cyclohexane. 9. The process according to Claim 1 wherein the process is run in the presence of added oxygen. 10. The process according to Claim 2 wherein the catalyst is gold. 11. The process according to Claim 10 wherein the gold is supported on zirconium dioxide. 12. The process according to Claim 10 wherein the gold is from about 0.1 to about 10 wt. percent of the catalyst and support member. 13. The process according to Claim 10 wherein Pd is also present with gold. 14. The process according to Claim 13 wherein the process is run in the presence of hydrogen. 15. The process according to Claim 13 wherein the catalyst support member is aluminium oxide.