Process for the production of hydrogen peroxide

Claim 1

A CYCLIC PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HYUDROGEN PEROXIDE WHICH COMPRISES HYDROGENATING AN ANTHRAQUINONE COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKYLATED ANTHRAQUINONE AND HALOGENATED ANTHRAQUINONE DISSOLVED IN A SOLVENT TO CONVERT THE ANTHRAQIUNONE COMPOUND TO THE CORRESPONDING ANTHRAHYDROQUINONE COMPOUND WITH CONCOMITANT FORMATION AS A SIDE REACTION CORRESPONDING TETRAHYDROQUINONE COMPOUND RESULTING FROM THE ADDITION OF HYDROGEN TO THE AROMATIC NUCLEUS OF THE ANTHRAQUINONE COMPOUND, SUBJECTING THE RESULTANT HYDROGENATED SOLUTION TO OXIDATION WITH ELEMENTED OXYGEN TO CONVERT THE ANTHRAHYDROQUINONE COMPOUND TO THE ANTHRAQUINONE COMPOUND AND HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, SEPARATING HYDROGEN PEROXIDE FROM THE SOLUTION, HEATING SAID SOLUTION TO A TEMPERATURE IN EXCESS OF 100* C. IN THE SUBSTANTIAL ABSENCE OF HYDROGEN; I.E. LESS THAN A FEW MOL PERCENT OF HYDROGEN AND IN THE PRESENCE OF A DEHYDROGENATION CATALYST SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PALLADIUM AND PLATINUM TO CONVERT TETRAHYDROQUINONE COMPOUND BACK TO THE ANTHRAQUINONE COMPOUND AND RECYCLING THE RESULTANT SOLUTION FOR FURTHER HYDROGENATION.