Process for the production of a mixture comprising cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol from phenol

Abstract

The present invention provides a process for continuously preparing a mixture of cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol comprising, a) hydrogenating phenol with gaseous hydrogen, in the presence of platinum or palladium, in a hydrogenation reactor, to produce a hydrogenation product stream comprising cyclohexanone, cyclohexanol, phenol and hydrogen; b) cooling the hydrogenation product stream to a temperature such that the fraction of phenol by mass in a first gas phase is lower than the fraction of phenol by mass in a first liquid phase; c) separating the first gas phase from the first liquid phase; d) returning at least part of the first gas phase to the hydrogenation reactor; e) heating the first liquid phase; f) purifying the first liquid phase by distillation; characterized in that heat is transferred from the hydrogenation product stream in step b) to another part of the process by means of in-process heat exchange; a mixture of cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol obtained by the process; and a chemical plant suitable for continuously preparing mixture of cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol according to the process.