The invention relates to a process for producing olefins from alcohols by means of catalytic dehydration. More in particular, the present invention relates to a process for producing at least one olefin by dehydrating at least one alcohol having a number of carbon atoms comprised between 2 and 6, preferably comprised between 2 and 4, more preferably at least one alcohol having a number of carbon atoms of 3, even more preferably 2-propanol, in the presence of a catalytic material comprising at least one large pore zeolite in acid form, or predominantly acid form, preferably selected from the group consisting of zeolites having BEA structure, MTW structure and mixtures thereof, and preferably at least one inorganic binder, more preferably alumina. Preferably, the olefin has the same number of carbon atoms as the starting alcohol. Furthermore, preferably the olefin does not contain conjugated double bonds and more preferably the olefin is a mono-olefin. Subject matter of the present invention is also the use of the aforementioned olefin in an alkylation process of aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular the use of propylene for alkylating benzene to provide cumene. The aforementioned cumene can be used in an integrated process for preparing phenol and acetone, in accordance with the Hock method, wherein acetone can be reduced to 2-propanol, to be recycled to the process of the invention to obtain propylene again.

The invention relates to a process for producing olefins from alcohols by means of catalytic dehydration. More in particular, the present invention relates to a process for producing at least one olefin by dehydrating at least one alcohol having a number of carbon atoms comprised between 2 and 6, preferably comprised between 2 and 4, more preferably at least one alcohol having a number of carbon atoms of 3, even more preferably 2-propanol, in the presence of a catalytic material comprising at least one large pore zeolite in acid form, or predominantly acid form, preferably selected from the group consisting of zeolites having BEA structure, MTW structure and mixtures thereof, and preferably at least one inorganic binder, more preferably alumina. Preferably, the olefin has the same number of carbon atoms as the starting alcohol. Furthermore, preferably the olefin does not contain conjugated double bonds and more preferably the olefin is a mono-olefin. Subject matter of the present invention is also the use of the aforementioned olefin in an alkylation process of aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular the use of propylene for alkylating benzene to provide cumene. The aforementioned cumene can be used in an integrated process for preparing phenol and acetone, in accordance with the Hock method, wherein acetone can be reduced to 2-propanol, to be recycled to the process of the invention to obtain propylene again.

The invention relates to a process for producing olefins from alcohols by means of catalytic dehydration. More in particular, the present invention relates to a process for producing at least one olefin by dehydrating at least one alcohol having a number of carbon atoms comprised between 2 and 6, preferably comprised between 2 and 4, more preferably at least one alcohol having a number of carbon atoms of 3, even more preferably 2-propanol, in the presence of a catalytic material comprising at least one large pore zeolite in acid form, or predominantly acid form, preferably selected from the group consisting of zeolites having BEA structure, MTW structure and mixtures thereof, and preferably at least one inorganic binder, more preferably alumina. Preferably, the olefin has the same number of carbon atoms as the starting alcohol. Furthermore, preferably the olefin does not contain conjugated double bonds and more preferably the olefin is a mono-olefin. Subject matter of the present invention is also the use of the aforementioned olefin in an alkylation process of aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular the use of propylene for alkylating benzene to provide cumene. The aforementioned cumene can be used in an integrated process for preparing phenol and acetone, in accordance with the Hock method, wherein acetone can be reduced to 2-propanol, to be recycled to the process of the invention to obtain propylene again.

Disclosed herein is a process for preparing an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-branched mono-alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound. The process involves the steps of: (a) providing an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-di(alkyl-substituted)aromatic compound; wherein a first alkyl substituent is a C.sub.3 to C.sub.8 alkyl moiety and a second alkyl substituent is a C.sub.4+n to C.sub.8+n branched alkyl moiety, wherein n is 0 to 42 and further wherein the second alkyl substituent is at least one carbon atom greater than the first alkyl substituent; (b) subjecting the isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-di(alkyl-substituted)aromatic compound to oxidation conditions in the presence of an oxygen-containing source, thereby converting the first alkyl substituent which is a C.sub.3 to C.sub.8 alkyl moiety to a hydroperoxide-containing substituted moiety to produce an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-branched alkyl-substituted, hydroperoxide-containing substituted aromatic compound; and (c) converting the hydroperoxide-containing substituted moiety to a hydroxyl moiety thereby providing an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-branched mono-alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound.

Disclosed herein is a process for preparing an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-branched mono-alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound. The process involves the steps of: (a) providing an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-di(alkyl-substituted)aromatic compound; wherein a first alkyl substituent is a C.sub.3 to C.sub.8 alkyl moiety and a second alkyl substituent is a C.sub.4+n to C.sub.8+n branched alkyl moiety, wherein n is 0 to 42 and further wherein the second alkyl substituent is at least one carbon atom greater than the first alkyl substituent; (b) subjecting the isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-di(alkyl-substituted)aromatic compound to oxidation conditions in the presence of an oxygen-containing source, thereby converting the first alkyl substituent which is a C.sub.3 to C.sub.8 alkyl moiety to a hydroperoxide-containing substituted moiety to produce an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-branched alkyl-substituted, hydroperoxide-containing substituted aromatic compound; and (c) converting the hydroperoxide-containing substituted moiety to a hydroxyl moiety thereby providing an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-branched mono-alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound.

Disclosed herein is a process for preparing an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-branched mono-alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound. The process involves the steps of: (a) providing an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-di(alkyl-substituted)aromatic compound; wherein a first alkyl substituent is a C.sub.3 to C.sub.8 alkyl moiety and a second alkyl substituent is a C.sub.4+n to C.sub.8+n branched alkyl moiety, wherein n is 0 to 42 and further wherein the second alkyl substituent is at least one carbon atom greater than the first alkyl substituent; (b) subjecting the isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-di(alkyl-substituted)aromatic compound to oxidation conditions in the presence of an oxygen-containing source, thereby converting the first alkyl substituent which is a C.sub.3 to C.sub.8 alkyl moiety to a hydroperoxide-containing substituted moiety to produce an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-branched alkyl-substituted, hydroperoxide-containing substituted aromatic compound; and (c) converting the hydroperoxide-containing substituted moiety to a hydroxyl moiety thereby providing an isomeric mixture comprising a major amount of a para-branched mono-alkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound.

Disclosed herein are a method and systems for cumene hydroperoxide cleavage with an improved configuration for online instrumentation. The systems comprise a first fluid loop comprising one or more reactors and a fluid pump and a second fluid loop in fluid communication with the first fluid loop. This second fluid loop comprises an instrument configured to measure a characteristic of a fluid flowing through the second loop, wherein an input of the second fluid loop is disposed downstream of said fluid pump and an output of the second fluid loop is disposed upstream of said fluid pump. The method comprises causing fluid to flow within a first stage comprising one or more reactors and a fluid pump, wherein the first stage is configured to decompose a cumene hydroperoxide in the presence of a catalyst mixture to form a dicumyl peroxide mixture. The method also comprises causing at least a portion of the fluid to flow through a instrumentation line in open fluid communication with the first stage. This instrumentation line comprises an instrument configured to measure a characteristic of the fluid flowing through the instrumentation line and an input of the instrument line is disposed downstream of said fluid pump.

Disclosed herein are a method and systems for cumene hydroperoxide cleavage with an improved configuration for online instrumentation. The systems comprise a first fluid loop comprising one or more reactors and a fluid pump and a second fluid loop in fluid communication with the first fluid loop. This second fluid loop comprises an instrument configured to measure a characteristic of a fluid flowing through the second loop, wherein an input of the second fluid loop is disposed downstream of said fluid pump and an output of the second fluid loop is disposed upstream of said fluid pump. The method comprises causing fluid to flow within a first stage comprising one or more reactors and a fluid pump, wherein the first stage is configured to decompose a cumene hydroperoxide in the presence of a catalyst mixture to form a dicumyl peroxide mixture. The method also comprises causing at least a portion of the fluid to flow through a instrumentation line in open fluid communication with the first stage. This instrumentation line comprises an instrument configured to measure a characteristic of the fluid flowing through the instrumentation line and an input of the instrument line is disposed downstream of said fluid pump.

Disclosed herein are a method and systems for cumene hydroperoxide cleavage with an improved configuration for online instrumentation. The systems comprise a first fluid loop comprising one or more reactors and a fluid pump and a second fluid loop in fluid communication with the first fluid loop. This second fluid loop comprises an instrument configured to measure a characteristic of a fluid flowing through the second loop, wherein an input of the second fluid loop is disposed downstream of said fluid pump and an output of the second fluid loop is disposed upstream of said fluid pump. The method comprises causing fluid to flow within a first stage comprising one or more reactors and a fluid pump, wherein the first stage is configured to decompose a cumene hydroperoxide in the presence of a catalyst mixture to form a dicumyl peroxide mixture. The method also comprises causing at least a portion of the fluid to flow through a instrumentation line in open fluid communication with the first stage. This instrumentation line comprises an instrument configured to measure a characteristic of the fluid flowing through the instrumentation line and an input of the instrument line is disposed downstream of said fluid pump.

A process for the treatment of waste water, spent air, and hydrocarbon containing liquid and gaseous streams in the cumene/phenol complex is described. Various effluent streams are combined in appropriate collection vessels, including a spent air knockout drum, a hydrocarbon buffer vessel, a fuel gas knockout drum, a phenolic water vessel, and a non-phenolic water vessel. Streams from these vessels are sent to a thermal oxidation system.