Basf Se Corporation

Michael Schreiber

Stephan Deuerlein

Steffen Oehlenschläger

Markus Schmitt

Steffen Tschirschwitz

Jochen Bürkle

Alois Kindler

Marco Bosch

Stefan Bitterlich

Veronika Wloka

Martin Bock

Daniel Pfeiffer

Roman Prochazka

Albena Kostova

Kathrin Wissel-Stoll

Gauthier Luc Maurice Averlant

Katharina Spuhl

Joni Joni

Daniela Malkowsky

Steffen OEHLENSCHLÄGER

The present invention relates to a process for preparing cyclohexane by isomerizing a hydrocarbon mixture (HM) comprising methylcyclopentane (MCP) in the presence of a catalyst. The catalyst is preferably an acidic ionic liquid. The starting material used is a stream (S) which originates from a steamcracking process. The hydrocarbon mixture (HM) obtained from this stream (S) in an apparatus for aromatics removal has a reduced aromatics content compared to stream (S), and (HM) may optionally also be (virtually) free of aromatics. Depending on the type and amount of the aromatics remaining in the hydrocarbon mixture (HM), especially in the case that benzene is present, the isomerization may additionally be preceded by performance of a hydrogenation of (HM). In addition, depending on the presence of other components of (HM), further purification steps may optionally be performed prior to or after the isomerization or hydrogenation. High-purity (on-spec) cyclohexane is preferably isolated from the hydrocarbon mixture (HM) obtained in the isomerization, the specifications being, for example, those applicable to the use of the cyclohexane for the preparation, known to those skilled in the art, of caprolactam.

Process for preparing cyclohexane with starting materials originating from a steamcracking process

A process for isomerizing a saturated, branched and cyclic hydrocarbon, in which a tertiary carbon atom of the hydrocarbon is converted to a secondary carbon atom in the course of isomerization, by performing the isomerization in the presence of a superacidic ionic liquid comprising an organic cation and an inorganic anion, where the anion is a superacidic aluminum trichloride-Lewis base adduct, and of a copper(II) compound.

Process for isomerizing a saturated, branched and cyclic hydrocarbon

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Mannheim, Germany

Michael Schreiber