Process for Producing Phenol
AssigneeExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
InventorKun Wang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a process for producing phenol, cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with an oxygen-containing compound in the presence of an oxidation catalyst comprising a cyclic imide under oxidation conditions effective to produce a product comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and unreacted cyclic imide catalyst. Without removing all the unreacted cyclic imide catalyst, at least a portion of the product is contacted with an acidic molecular sieve under conditions effective to adsorb at least a portion of the unreacted cyclic imide and to convert at least part of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide in the product portion into phenol and cyclohexanone.
Claims25
A process for producing phenol, the process comprising:
- (a) contacting cyclohexylbenzene with an oxygen-containing compound in the presence of an oxidation catalyst comprising a cyclic imide under oxidation conditions effective to produce a product comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and unreacted cyclic imide catalyst;
- and
- (b) contacting at least a portion of the product with an acidic molecular sieve under conditions effective to adsorb at least a portion of the unreacted cyclic imide and convert at least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide in said product into phenol and cyclohexanone, wherein less than 50 wt % of the unreacted cyclic imide catalyst is removed from the product prior to the contacting step (b).
A process for producing phenol, the process comprising:
- (a) contacting cyclohexylbenzene with an oxygen-containing compound in the presence of an oxidation catalyst comprising a cyclic imide under oxidation conditions effective to produce a product comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and unreacted cyclic imide catalyst;
- and
- (b) contacting at least a portion of the product containing cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and at least 50 ppmw of the unreacted cyclic imide catalyst with an acidic molecular sieve under conditions effective to adsorb at least a portion of the unreacted cyclic imide and to convert at least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide in said product portion into phenol and cyclohexanone.
A process for producing phenol, the process comprising:
- (a) hydroalkylating benzene with hydrogen in the presence of a hydroalkylation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a hydroalkylation reaction product comprising cyclohexylbenzene;
- (b) separating cyclohexylbenzene from said hydroalkylation reaction product;
- (c) contacting at least a portion of said cyclohexylbenzene from said separating step (b) with an oxygen-containing compound in the presence of an oxidation catalyst comprising a cyclic imide under oxidation conditions effective to produce a cleavage product comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and unreacted cyclic imide catalyst;
- and
- (d) contacting at least a portion of the product with an acidic molecular sieve under conditions effective to adsorb at least part of the cyclic imide and to convert at least part of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide in said product portion into phenol and cyclohexanone, wherein less than 50 wt % of the unreacted cyclic imide catalyst is removed from the product prior to the contacting step (d).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.