Phillips Petroleum Company

Robert A Paul

George B Fozzard

Phenol-cyclohexanone azeotrope, for example, resulting from the cleavage product of 1-phenylcyclohexylhydroperoxide resulting from the oxidation of cyclohexylbenzene, from which cyclohexylbenzene may have been separated, is subjected to an extractive distillation with a selective solvent essentially containing a diester of adipic acid, e.g. a dialkyl and/or a dicycloalkyl ester of adipic acid. Specifically disclosed is a separation of a cyclohexanone-phenol mixture employing di(2-ethylhexyladipate). The diesters up to and including diC.sub.14 are referenced.

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Bartlesville, OK, United States of America

Robert A Paul