A process for the construction of a second chemical plant, which second chemical plant is suitable for the separation of cyclohexanone from a second mixture, which second mixture comprises reaction products from the hydrogenation of phenol. The process comprises providing a first chemical plant, which first chemical plant is suitable for the separation of cyclohexanone from a first mixture, and a second chemical plant comprising a distillation column suitable for distilling overhead cyclohexanone reused from the first chemical plant.

An industrial scale continuous process for the production and recovery of cyclohexanone from phenol and hydrogen, said process comprising: hydrogenating phenol in a phenol hydrogenation reactor; separating cyclohexanone from a hydrogenated product stream in a separation and purification section [II] comprising at least 4 distillation sections; wherein at least some of the reaction heat produced in the phenol hydrogenation reaction section [I] is applied for the production of steam; and wherein the molar ratio of cyclohexanone to phenol that is charged to said phenol hydrogenation reactor is from 0.02 to 0.10; and/or wherein the molar ratio of cyclohexanol to phenol that is charged to said phenol hydrogenation reactor is from 0.001 to 0.10.

An industrial scale continuous process for the production and recovery of cyclohexanone from phenol and hydrogen, said process comprising: hydrogenating phenol in a phenol hydrogenation reactor; separating cyclohexanone from a hydrogenated product stream in a separation and purification section [II] comprising at least 4 distillation sections; wherein at least some of the reaction heat produced in the phenol hydrogenation reaction section [I] is applied for the production of steam; and wherein the molar ratio of cyclohexanone to phenol that is charged to said phenol hydrogenation reactor is from 0.02 to 0.10; and/or wherein the molar ratio of cyclohexanol to phenol that is charged to said phenol hydrogenation reactor is from 0.001 to 0.10.

Disclosed are novel processes for making cyclohexanone compositions, from a mixture comprising phenol, cyclohexanone, and cyclohexylbenzene. The process includes hydrogenation of a feed stream comprising phenol, cyclohexanone, and cyclohexylbenzene. The feed stream may be subjected to one or more pre-hydrogenation treatments, such as passing through one or more sorbents, addition of basic chemical agents, and/or addition of water, so as to improve catalyst activity, minimize undesired side reactions, and/or remove catalyst poisons from the feed stream. The feed stream may be provided to a hydrogenation reaction zone in the vapor phase, with periodic alterations to hydrogenation reaction conditions such that the feed is provided in mixed liquid and vapor phase in order to carry out liquid washing of a hydrogenation catalyst bed within the hydrogenation reaction zone.

Disclosed are novel processes for making cyclohexanone compositions, from a mixture comprising phenol, cyclohexanone, and cyclohexylbenzene. The process includes hydrogenation of a feed stream comprising phenol, cyclohexanone, and cyclohexylbenzene. The feed stream may be subjected to one or more pre-hydrogenation treatments, such as passing through one or more sorbents, addition of basic chemical agents, and/or addition of water, so as to improve catalyst activity, minimize undesired side reactions, and/or remove catalyst poisons from the feed stream. The feed stream may be provided to a hydrogenation reaction zone in the vapor phase, with periodic alterations to hydrogenation reaction conditions such that the feed is provided in mixed liquid and vapor phase in order to carry out liquid washing of a hydrogenation catalyst bed within the hydrogenation reaction zone.

A reaction method includes, in a gas-liquid reaction performed using a solid catalyst, alternately allowing a gaseous raw material that includes a first raw material and a liquid raw material that includes a second raw material to pass through a reaction field that holds the solid catalyst, and reacting the first and second raw materials on the solid catalyst.

Disclosed are processes for making cyclohexanone from a mixture comprising phenol, cyclohexanone, cyclohexylbenzene, and an S-containing component, comprising a step of removing at least a portion of the S-containing component to reduce poisoning of a hydrogenation catalyst used for hydrogenating phenol to cyclohexanone.

Disclosed are processes for making cyclohexanone from a mixture comprising phenol, cyclohexanone, cyclohexylbenzene, and an S-containing component, comprising a step of removing at least a portion of the S-containing component to reduce poisoning of a hydrogenation catalyst used for hydrogenating phenol to cyclohexanone.

A hydrocarbon conversion process is described. The process includes contacting in a reactor an inert gas with one or more catalyst compositions suitable for methylation of toluene and hydrogenation of phenol; contacting a reducing agent with the one or more catalyst compositions under conditions suitable for reducing metal oxide content of the catalyst composition; contacting at least part of toluene and/or benzene-containing with a oxygenate in the presence of the one or more catalyst compositions and under conditions effective to convert toluene to xylenes and produce a reactor effluent stream comprising para-xylene and having a lower concentration of phenol than the toluene-containing stream; separating at least one para-xylene-enriched stream from the reactor effluent stream; and separating from the at least one para-xylene enriched stream at least one toluene-enriched stream and at least one para-xylene-product stream. An apparatus for carrying out such a process is also described.

A hydrocarbon conversion process is described. The process includes contacting in a reactor an inert gas with one or more catalyst compositions suitable for methylation of toluene and hydrogenation of phenol; contacting a reducing agent with the one or more catalyst compositions under conditions suitable for reducing metal oxide content of the catalyst composition; contacting at least part of toluene and/or benzene-containing with a oxygenate in the presence of the one or more catalyst compositions and under conditions effective to convert toluene to xylenes and produce a reactor effluent stream comprising para-xylene and having a lower concentration of phenol than the toluene-containing stream; separating at least one para-xylene-enriched stream from the reactor effluent stream; and separating from the at least one para-xylene enriched stream at least one toluene-enriched stream and at least one para-xylene-product stream. An apparatus for carrying out such a process is also described.