Disclosed is (i) a process of making phenol and/or cyclohexanone from cyclohexylbenzene including a step of removing methylcyclopentylbenzene from (a) the cyclohexylbenzene feed supplied to the oxidation step and/or (b) the crude phenol product (ii) a phenol composition and (iii) a cyclohexylbenzene composition that can be made using the process.

Disclosed is (i) a process of making phenol and/or cyclohexanone from cyclohexylbenzene including a step of removing methylcyclopentylbenzene from (a) the cyclohexylbenzene feed supplied to the oxidation step and/or (b) the crude phenol product (ii) a phenol composition and (iii) a cyclohexylbenzene composition that can be made using the process.

An improved method for the production of phenol. The method comprises (a) synthesizing phenol through a process that utilizes an acidic catalyst; (b) neutralizing the acidic catalyst after substantial completion of step (a) by addition thereto of a neutralization composition, wherein the neutralization composition contains an ethyleneamine derivative.

An improved method for the production of phenol. The method comprises (a) synthesizing phenol through a process that utilizes an acidic catalyst; (b) neutralizing the acidic catalyst after substantial completion of step (a) by addition thereto of a neutralization composition, wherein the neutralization composition contains an ethyleneamine derivative.

A process for making phenol and/or cyclohexanone, the process comprising: (A) oxidizing a cyclohexylbenzene feed to obtain an oxidation product comprising cyclohexylbenzene, cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and water; (B) removing at least a portion of the water from at least a portion of the oxidation product to obtain a cleavage feed; and (C) contacting at least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide in the cleavage feed with an acid catalyst in a cleavage reactor under cleavage conditions to obtain a cleavage product comprising phenol and cyclohexanone. The removing step may also comprises a step of removing a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene contained in the oxidation product. Water removal may be advantageously conducted in a water flashing drum before a cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide concentrator.

A process for making phenol and/or cyclohexanone, the process comprising: (A) oxidizing a cyclohexylbenzene feed to obtain an oxidation product comprising cyclohexylbenzene, cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and water; (B) removing at least a portion of the water from at least a portion of the oxidation product to obtain a cleavage feed; and (C) contacting at least a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide in the cleavage feed with an acid catalyst in a cleavage reactor under cleavage conditions to obtain a cleavage product comprising phenol and cyclohexanone. The removing step may also comprises a step of removing a portion of the cyclohexylbenzene contained in the oxidation product. Water removal may be advantageously conducted in a water flashing drum before a cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide concentrator.

In a process for producing phenol, a cleavage feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is supplied to a cleavage reaction zone and a cleavage reaction mixture comprising the cleavage feed is contacted in the cleavage reaction zone with a solid acid catalyst under conditions effective to produce a cleavage effluent comprising phenol and cyclohexanone. The cleavage effluent is then divided into at least a cleavage product and a cleavage recycle and the cleavage recycle and a polar solvent is supplied to the cleavage reaction zone to produce the cleavage reaction mixture with the cleavage feed. Preferably, the polar solvent is combined with the cleavage recycle before being charged into the cleavage reaction zone.

In a process for producing phenol, a cleavage feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is supplied to a cleavage reaction zone and a cleavage reaction mixture comprising the cleavage feed is contacted in the cleavage reaction zone with a solid acid catalyst under conditions effective to produce a cleavage effluent comprising phenol and cyclohexanone. The cleavage effluent is then divided into at least a cleavage product and a cleavage recycle and the cleavage recycle and a polar solvent is supplied to the cleavage reaction zone to produce the cleavage reaction mixture with the cleavage feed. Preferably, the polar solvent is combined with the cleavage recycle before being charged into the cleavage reaction zone.

In a process for oxidizing a feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene, the feed is contacted with oxygen and an oxidation catalyst in a plurality of reaction zones connected in series, the contacting being conducted under conditions being effective to oxidize part of the cyclohexylbenzene in the feed to cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide in each reaction zone. At least one of the plurality of reaction zones has a reaction condition that is different from another of the plurality of reaction zones. The different reaction conditions may include one or more of (a) a progressively decreasing temperature and (b) a progressively increasing oxidation catalyst concentration as the feed flows from one reaction zone to subsequent reaction zones in the series.

In a process for oxidizing a feed comprising cyclohexylbenzene, the feed is contacted with oxygen and an oxidation catalyst in a plurality of reaction zones connected in series, the contacting being conducted under conditions being effective to oxidize part of the cyclohexylbenzene in the feed to cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide in each reaction zone. At least one of the plurality of reaction zones has a reaction condition that is different from another of the plurality of reaction zones. The different reaction conditions may include one or more of (a) a progressively decreasing temperature and (b) a progressively increasing oxidation catalyst concentration as the feed flows from one reaction zone to subsequent reaction zones in the series.