US Patent 7619122 Process for preparing cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol

Process for preparing cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol, said process comprising (a) neutralising acids and/or carbon dioxide present in an organic solution further comprising cyclohexylhydroperoxide by mixing the organic solution with a first aqueous base solution to form a first mixture comprising a first aqueous phase and a first organic phase, (b) separating first aqueous phase from first organic phase, (c) discharging first aqueous phase, (d) decomposing cyclohexylhydroperoxide present in said first organic phase by mixing said first organic phase with a second aqueous base solution to form a second mixture comprising a second aqueous phase and a second organic phase comprising cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol, (e) separating the second aqueous phase from the second organic phase, (f) feeding at least a portion of said separated second aqueous phase to said neutralising (a), wherein the process further comprises feeding such a portion of the first aqueous phase to the decomposing that the pH of the first aqueous phase is higher then 8.5, measured at 25° C.