Industrial Technology Research Institute

Horn-Ming Chiu

Min-Hon Rei

A catalyst and a process to convert commercial cyclohexanol feed to cyclohexanone at a relatively low temperature at stable conversion levels for long periods of operation. This process and catalyst allow operation in the presence of water and high boiling side products. The process features high conversion efficiency and low by-product formation, by use of an improved CuO-ZnO catalyst promoted with an alkali-metal compound such as sodium carbonate. The catalyst is stable in the presence of water and heavy end products in the feedstock (up to 13%). The presence of water rejuvenates the catalyst, increases the conversion and decreases the phenol content in the product mixture.

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Horn-Ming Chiu