Process of Producing Cyclohexylbenzene

A process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, the process comprising:

• (a) contacting benzene and hydrogen in the presence of a hydroalkylation catalyst under hydroalkylation conditions effective to form a first effluent stream comprising cyclohexylbenzene, methylcyclopentane, and unreacted benzene;
• (b) supplying at least a portion of said first effluent stream to a fractionation system to recover a first product stream containing cyclohexylbenzene and a second product stream containing from about 1 wt % to about 99 wt % of the methylcyclopentane contained in said first effluent stream portion and leave a benzene-containing stream containing up to 5 wt % methylcyclopentane;
• and
• (c) recycling at least a portion of the benzene-containing stream to (a).

A process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, the process comprising:

• (a) contacting dicyclohexylbenzene and benzene in the presence of a transalkylation catalyst under transalkylation conditions effective to form a transalkylation effluent stream comprising cyclohexylbenzene, methylcyclopentane, and unreacted benzene;
• (b) supplying at least a portion of said transalkylation effluent stream to a fractionation system to recover a first product stream containing cyclohexylbenzene and a second product stream containing from about 1 wt % to about 99 wt % of the methylcyclopentane contained in said first effluent stream portion and leave a benzene-containing stream containing up to 5 wt % methylcyclopentane;
• and
• (c) recycling at least a portion of the benzene-containing stream to (a) or to a benzene hydroalkylation process.