Separation of phenol-cyclohexanone azeotrope by extractive distillation with adipic acid diester
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorsGeorge B. Fozzard, Robert A. Paul
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Abstract
Phenol-cyclohexanone azeotrope, for example, resulting from the cleavage product of 1-phenylcyclohexylhydroperoxide resulting from the oxidation of cyclohexylbenzene, from which cyclohexylbenzene may have been separated, is subjected to an extractive distillation with a selective solvent essentially containing a diester of adipic acid, e.g. a dialkyl and/or a dicycloalkyl ester of adipic acid. Specifically disclosed is a separation of a cyclohexanone-phenol mixture employing di(2-ethylhexyladipate). The diesters up to and including diC.sub.14 are referenced.
Claims5
A process for the separation by extractive distillation of a cyclohexanone and phenol containing mixture which comprises subjecting the mixture to extractive distillation conditions in the presence of an adipic acid diester extractive distillation agent.
A process according to claim one wherein the diester is at least one of a dialkyl and dicycloalkyl ester of adipic acid.
A process according to claim one wherein the diester of adipic acid has the general formula (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CO.sub.2 R).sub.2 where R can be an alkyl or cycloalkyl group containing up to 14 carbon atoms.
A process according to claim one wherein the diester of adipic acid is at least one selected from the following:
- dimethyl, dibutyl, diisobutyl, di(2 ethylhexyl), didecyl, dicyclohexyl, bis(2-cyclohexyl ethyl) and bis(4-butylcyclohexyl) adipates.
A process according to claim one wherein the phenol and cyclohexanone containing mixture results from a cleavage of the oxidation product obtained upon oxidizing cyclohexylbenzene.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.