Patent attributes
The present invention relates to a 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 at a temperature of from 50 to 80° C. to form a first mixture comprising a first aqueous phase with a pH of from 8.5 to 13 and a first organic phase, (b) separating first aqueous phase from the first mixture resulting in a remaining mixture comprising first organic phase, (c) decomposing cyclohexylhydroperoxide present in said remaining mixture by mixing said remaining mixture with a second aqueous base solution at a temperature of from 60 to 110° C. to form a second mixture comprising a second aqueous phase and a second organic phase comprising cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol, (d) separating the second aqueous phase from the second organic phase at a temperature higher than 80° C.
