Dehydrogenation process

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 hydroalkylation reaction product stream comprising cyclohexylbenzene, cyclohexane, methyl cyclopentane, and unreacted benzene;
• (b) separating at least a portion of the hydroalkylation reaction product stream into (i) a C6-rich stream comprising benzene, cyclohexane, and methylcyclopentane and (ii) a cyclohexylbenzene-rich stream;
• (c) producing a dehydrogenation reaction product stream comprising the step of contacting at least a portion of the C6-rich stream with a dehydrogenation catalyst comprising a metal component and a support and the contacting being conducted under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the cyclohexane to benzene and at least a portion of the methylcyclopentane to at least one paraffin wherein the dehydrogenation catalyst is produced by a method comprising treating a support comprising silica with a liquid composition comprising the metal component or a precursor thereof and at least one organic dispersant selected from an amino alcohol and an amino acid;
• (d) separating at least a portion of the dehydrogenation reaction product stream produced into a benzene recycle stream and a paraffins-rich stream comprising 2-methylpentane and 3-methylpentane;
• (e) recycling at least a portion of the benzene recycle stream to the contacting step (a);
• and
• (f) recovering cyclohexylbenzene from the cyclohexylbenzene-rich stream.