Method for the preparation of cyclohexanone

摘要

The invention provides an efficient method for the preparation of cyclohexanone by the liquid-phase oxidation of cyclohexene in the presence of a catalyst system. The rate of conversion of the cyclohexene and the yield of cyclohexanone are unexpectedly increased when the reaction mixture brought into contact with oxygen or air contains a limited amount of an aliphatic alcohol having 2-10 carbon atoms in a molecule such as ethyl alcohol with the catalyst system composed of a palladium compound, e.g. PdCl2, and at least one co-catalytic ingredient which is a copper compound or iron compound such as CuCl2 or FeCl3. The influence of benzene or cyclohexane admixed in the reaction mixture was studied to indicate no adverse effects or even better results in the reaction giving further advantages of the process in which the starting cyclohexene need not be purified and can be used as prepared by the partial hydrogenation of benzene or partial dehydrogenation of cyclohexane.