Abstract: A cleavage process for making phenol and/or cyclohexanone, the process comprising: (A) providing a feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide; (B) contacting the feed with a catalyst under cleavage reaction conditions effective to produce a cleavage effluent comprising phenol and cyclohexanone, the catalyst having a collidine uptake of at least 20 ?mol per gram of the catalyst and comprising an aluminosilicate molecular sieve of the FAU-type, an oxide binder, and a clay.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for dehydrogenating a hydrocarbon with a dehydrogenation catalyst comprising a step of activating the catalyst precursor in a H2-containing atmosphere. A particularly advantageous activation process includes heating the catalyst precursor to a temperature in a range from 400° C. to 600° C. The process of the present disclosure is particularly advantageous for dehydrogenating cyclohexane to make benzene.

Abstract: In a process for producing phenol and cyclohexanone, a cleavage feed containing greater than 40 wt % and no greater than 95 wt % cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide, and at least 5 wt % and less than 60 wt % cyclohexylbenzene is mixed with at least phenol, cyclohexanone, water, and sulfuric acid to produce a cleavage reaction mixture containing from 15 wt % to 50 wt % phenol, from 15 wt % to 50 wt % cyclohexanone, from 1 wt % to 10 wt % cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide, from 5 wt % to 60 wt % cyclohexylbenzene, from 0.1 wt % to 4 wt % water, and from 10 wppm to 1000 wppm sulfuric acid. The cleavage reaction mixture is then reacted at a temperature from 30° C. and to 70° C., and a pressure of at least 1 atmosphere for a time sufficient to convert at least 50% of said cyclohexyl-1-phenyl-1-hydroperoxide in said cleavage reaction mixture and produce a cleavage effluent containing phenol and cyclohexanone.

Abstract: In a process for producing propylene oxide, cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with an oxygen-containing compound under oxidation conditions with or without a suitable catalyst to produce an oxidation reaction effluent comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide. At least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is then reacted with propylene in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst under conditions effective to produce an epoxidation reaction effluent comprising phenylcyclohexanol and propylene oxide.

Abstract: A process for producing phenol and/or cyclohexanone is described in which cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with an oxygen-containing gas under conditions effective to produce an oxidation effluent comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and at least part of cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is contacted with a cleavage catalyst under conditions effective to produce a cleavage effluent containing phenol and cyclohexanone. At least one of the oxidation effluent and the cleavage effluent contains at least one phenylcyclohexanol as a by-product and the process further comprises contacting the phenylcyclohexanol with a dehydration catalyst comprising a molecular sieve of the MCM-22 family under conditions effective to convert at least part of the phenylcyclohexanol to phenylcyclohexene.

Abstract: In a process for producing phenol and/or cyclohexanone, cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with an oxygen-containing gas to produce an oxidation effluent containing cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is then contacted with a cleavage catalyst to produce a cleavage effluent containing phenol and cyclohexanone. At least one of the oxidation effluent and the cleavage effluent also contains at least one by-product selected from phenylcyclohexanols and phenylcyclohexanones and the process further comprises contacting the by-product with a dehydration catalyst to convert the by-product to phenylcyclohexene and hydrogenating the phenylcyclohexene to cyclohexylbenzene. The dealkylation and hydrogenation may be conducted in a single stage.

Abstract: In a process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, benzene is reacted with cyclohexene under alkylation conditions effective to produce an alkylation effluent comprising cyclohexylbenzene and a polycyclohexylbenzene. A first feed comprising at least a portion of the alkylation effluent is then fed to a first separation device, where the first feed is separated into at least a first fraction containing cyclohexylbenzene and a second fraction containing the polycyclohexylbenzene, the second fraction also comprising an oxygenated hydrocarbon. At least a portion of the oxygenated hydrocarbon is removed from at least a portion of the second fraction in a second separation device to obtain a second feed. The second feed may then be reacted in a transalkylation or dealkylation reactor to convert at least part of the polycyclohexylbenzene to additional cyclohexylbenzene.

Abstract: In a process for producing phenol, cyclohexylbenzene is oxidized to form a first reaction product comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and at least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is then cleaved to form a second reaction product comprising phenol and cyclohexanone. At least one of the first and second reaction products comprises cyclohexenone, which is hydrogenated to produce further cyclohexanone.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, in which a benzene feed stream is subjected to each of the following treatment steps: treating the feed stream with at least one adsorbent and fractionating the feed stream to remove components having a different boiling point than benzene. The treatment steps are carried out in any order and produce a treated benzene feed stream. The treated benzene feed stream is then contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a hydroalkylation catalyst in a hydroalkylation unit under conditions effective to produce a reaction product containing cyclohexylbenzene.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are catalyst compositions useful in selective decomposition of organic oxygenates. A feed comprising an organic oxygenate may be contacted with a catalyst comprising (a) at least 0.1 wt % of an oxide of an element selected from Group 3 of the Periodic Table of Elements, wherein Group 3 includes the Lanthanide series; (b) at least 0.1 wt % of an oxide of an element selected from Group 6 of the Periodic Table of Elements; and (c) at least 0.1 wt % of an oxide of at least one element selected from Group 4 of the Periodic Table of Elements, wherein the wt % s are based upon the total combined weight of the oxides in (a) through (c) and excludes any other components.

Abstract: In a process for producing propylene oxide, cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with an oxygen-containing compound under oxidation conditions with or without a suitable catalyst to produce an oxidation reaction effluent comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide. At least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is then reacted with propylene in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst under conditions effective to produce an epoxidation reaction effluent comprising phenylcyclohexanol and propylene oxide.

Abstract: In a process for oxidizing cyclohexylbenzene, a composition comprising cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with oxygen in at least one oxidation zone under oxidation conditions sufficient to produce at least some (i) cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide; (ii) a first byproduct; and (iii) a second byproduct in an effluent. A ratio ? is determined according to the following formula: ? = A B wherein A is the amount of the first byproduct in the effluent and B is the amount of the second byproduct in the effluent. The ratio ? is then maintained above a threshold value or adjusted above a threshold value.

Abstract: In a process for producing phenol, cyclohexylbenzene is oxidized to form a first reaction product comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and at least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is then cleaved to form a second reaction product comprising phenol and cyclohexanone. At least one of the first and second reaction products comprises cyclohexenone, which is hydrogenated to produce further cyclohexanone.

Abstract: In a process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, benzene is reacted with cyclohexene in a first reaction zone under conditions effective to produce a reaction product comprising cyclohexylbenzene and at least one polycyclohexylbenzene. At least a portion of the reaction product and a stripping agent comprising at least one C1 to C11 hydrocarbon or hydrogen are then separately supplied to a separation device and separated into at least a first fraction rich in cyclohexylbenzene and a second fraction rich in the at least one polycyclohexylbenzene.

Abstract: A process for oxidizing a composition comprising contacting an alkylbenzene of the general formula (I): where R1 and R2 each independently represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein R1 and R2 may be joined to form a cyclic group having from 4 to 10 carbon atoms, the cyclic group being optionally substituted, and R3 represents hydrogen, one or more alkyl groups having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a cyclohexyl group; and (ii) about 0.05 wt % to about 5 wt % of phenol, with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst containing a cyclic imide having the general formula (II): wherein X represents an oxygen atom, a hydroxyl group, or an acyloxy group under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the alkylbenzene to a hydroperoxide.

Abstract: In a process for oxidizing cyclohexylbenzene, a composition comprising cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with oxygen in at least one oxidation zone under oxidation conditions sufficient to produce at least some (i) cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide; (ii) a first byproduct; and (iii) a second byproduct in an effluent. A ratio ? is determined according to the following formula: ? = A B wherein A is the amount of the first byproduct in the effluent and B is the amount of the second byproduct in the effluent. The ratio ? is then maintained above a threshold value or adjusted above a threshold value.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for dehydrogenating a saturated cyclic hydrocarbon and/or 5-membered ring compound with a dehydrogenation catalyst. The dehydrogenation catalyst comprises: (i) 0.05 wt % to 5 wt % of a metal selected from Group 14 of the Periodic Table of Elements; and (ii) 0.1 wt % to 10 wt % of a metal selected from Groups 6 to 10 of the Periodic Table of Elements. The process is conducted under dehydrogenation conditions effective to dehydrogenate at least a portion saturated cyclic hydrocarbon and/or 5-membered ring compound.

Abstract: In a process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, benzene is reacted with cyclohexene in a first reaction zone under conditions effective to produce a reaction product comprising cyclohexylbenzene and at least one polycyclohexylbenzene. At least a portion of the reaction product and a stripping agent comprising at least one C1 to C11 hydrocarbon or hydrogen are then separately supplied to a separation device and separated into at least a first fraction rich in cyclohexylbenzene and a second fraction rich in the at least one polycyclohexylbenzene.

Abstract: In a process for alkylation of an alkylatable aromatic compound to produce a monoalkylated aromatic compound, a first feed stream comprising fresh alkylatable aromatic compound is passed to a first reaction zone which comprises a transalkylation catalyst and which also receives a second feed stream comprising polyalkylated aromatic compounds. The first and second feed streams are contacted with the transalkylation catalyst in the first reaction zone under conditions to transalkylate the polyalkylated aromatic compounds with the alkylatable aromatic compound to produce the desired monoalkylated aromatic compound. A first effluent stream comprising unreacted alkylatable aromatic compound and the monoalkylated aromatic compound is removed from the first reaction zone and passed to a fractionation system to separate the first effluent stream into a first light fraction comprising the unreacted alkylatable aromatic compound and a first heavy fraction comprising the monoalkylated aromatic compound.

Abstract: A hydroalkylation catalyst comprising a molecular sieve and a compound of a hydrogenation metal is activated by treating the catalyst at a temperature of less than about 250° C. in the presence of hydrogen.