US Patent 7858832 Process for producing phenol and methyl ethyl ketone

A process for producing sec-butylbenzene comprises contacting a feed comprising benzene and a C4 alkylating agent under alkylation conditions comprising a temperature of about 110° C. to about 150° C. with a catalyst comprising at least one 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. The sec-butylbenzene can be then oxidized to produce a hydroperoxide and the hydroperoxide decomposed to produce phenol and methyl ethyl ketone.