Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Ekhart Lucas

Juergen Hartig

Guenter Herrmann

Franz Merger

Richard Krabetz

Gerd Duembgen

Gerd Fouquet

Friedbert Nees

Armin Stoessel

Reaction mixtures which contain cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone and cyclohexyl hydroperoxide and are obtained in the oxidation of cyclohexane with molecular oxygen, or with a gas containing this, in the liquid phase are worked up by a process in which the reaction mixture is hydrogenated in the presence of a noble metal catalyst at elevated temperatures and under superatmospheric pressure, the resulting mixture is treated with an aqueous alkali metal carbonate solution, and cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone are separated off by distillation.

Working up reaction mixtures containing cyclohexanol cyclohexanone and

Aqueous acidic scrubbing liquors obtained when oxidation mixtures from the oxidation of cyclohexane are scrubbed with water are stabilized by a process in which the scrubbing liquors are heated at from 50.degree. to 130.degree. C. in the presence of a water-soluble vanadium compound.

Stabilization of aqueous acidic scrubbing liquors

Reaction mixtures which contain cyclohexyl hydroperoxide, cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone and are obtained by oxidizing cyclohexane with molecular oxygen, or a gas containing this, in the liquid phase at from 130.degree. to 200.degree. C. under from 5 to 25 bar are worked up by treatment with an aqueous alkali solution in the presence of a cobalt salt at elevated temperatures by an improved process wherein a phosphonic acid compound of the formula ##STR1## where X is alkylene or 2 to 6 carbon atoms, R.sub.1 is --CH.sub.2 PO.sub.3 H and R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 may be identical or different and are each --CH.sub.2 PO.sub.3 H, --CH.sub.2 OH, hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, is concomitantly used.

Working up reaction mixtures containing cyclohexyl hydro-peroxide,

.alpha.-Alkylacroleins are prepared by a process wherein an alkanal is reacted with formaldehyde in the presence of a secondary amine and in the presence or absence, of an acid, in the liquid phase, under superatmospheric pressure and at above 150.degree. C., for not more than 25 minutes. The .alpha.-alkylacroleins obtainable by the process are useful starting materials for dyes, drugs and pesticides.

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Ekhart Lucas