Hydroalkylation of mononuclear aromatic hydrocarbons to mono cycloalkyl aromatic hydrocarbons

A process for hydroalkylation of a mononuclear aromatic hydrocarbon in a distributed feed reactor having a plurality of reactor zones, said process comprising the steps of:

• feeding a stream comprising the mononuclear aromatic hydrocarbon and hydrogen at one or more positions along length of the distributed feed reactor;
• and
• effecting passage of the mononuclear aromatic hydrocarbon and hydrogen concurrently through a catalyst bed to effect hydroalkylation of the mononuclear aromatic hydrocarbon, said catalyst bed comprising a composite hydroalkylation catalyst, wherein said composite hydroalkylation catalyst is prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
• (a) effecting impregnation of a hydrogenation metal on an inorganic oxide to form a metal impregnated inorganic oxide;
• (b) effecting calcination of the metal impregnated inorganic oxide at a temperature ranging from 250° C. to 500° C. for a time period ranging from 1 hour to 15 hours to obtain a calcined metal impregnated inorganic oxide;
• (c) preparing a composite mixture comprising a molecular sieve, the calcined metal impregnated inorganic oxide and a binder;
• (d) preparing an extruded catalyst from the composite mixture;
• and (e) effecting calcination of the extruded catalyst at a temperature ranging from 250° C. to 400° C. to obtain the composite hydroalkylation catalyst.