Catalysed phenol hydrogenation

A method for preparing cyclohexanone, cyclohexanol or a mixture thereof in a continuous process, the process comprising:

• (a) feeding phenol to a reactor comprising a hydrogenation catalyst;
• (b) catalytically hydrogenating the phenol fed into the reactor in the presence of the hydrogenation catalyst, wherein the hydrogenation catalyst is a supported catalyst comprising a dopant selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, alkaline earth metal oxides, carbonates of alkali metals and carbonates of alkaline earth metals;
• and
• (c) continuously or intermittently feeding water into the reactor during hydrogenation of the phenol according to step (a) at an average weight to weight ratio of water fed into the reactor to phenol fed into the reactor of 0.10 or less.