US Patent 7799956 Process for producing phenol and methyl ethyl ketone

A process for producing phenol and methyl ethyl ketone comprises contacting benzene with a C4 alkylating agent under alkylation conditions with catalyst comprising zeolite beta or a molecular sieve having an X-ray diffraction pattern including d-spacing maxima at 12.4±0.25, 6.9±0.15, 3.57±0.07 and 3.42±0.07 Angstrom to produce an alkylation effluent comprising sec-butylbenzene. The sec-butylbenzene is then oxidized to produce a hydroperoxide and the hydroperoxide is decomposed to produce phenol and methyl ethyl ketone.