Process for the preparation of 4-ethylcyclohexene

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF 4-ETHYLCYCLOHEXENE BY THE CONTROLLED REDUCTION OF 4-VINYLCYCLOHEXENE IN LIQUID COMPRISES DISSOLVING SAID 4-VINYLCYCLOHEXENE IN LIQUID AMMONIA, ADDING THERETO A LIGHT METAL HAVING A SPECIFIC GRAVITY WITHIN THE RANGE OF 0.53 TO 1.74, STIRRING SAID MIXTURE UNTIL ALL OF SAID METAL HAS DISSOLVED IN SAID LIQUID AMMONIA, ADDING TO THE RESULTING SOLUTION A HYDROLYTIC AGENT, ALLOWING THE REACTION TO PRECEED AT ABOUT THE BOILING POINT OF LIQUID AMMONIA FOR A PERIOD VARYING FROM 1/4 TO 3 HOURS, REMOVING THE AMMONIA FROM THE REACTION MASS, ADDING WATER TO THE RESIDUE, ALLOWING THE MIXTURE TO SEPARATE INTO TWO LAYERS, AN UPPER ORGANIC LAYER CONSISTING PREDOMINATELY OF 4-ETHYCYCLOHEXENE AND UNREACTED 4-VINYLCYCLOHEXENE AND A LOWER AQUEOUS LAYER, SEPARATING THE LAYERS AND THEN RECYCLING SAID UPPER LAYER UNTIL SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE 4-VINYLCYCLOHEXENE HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO 4-ETHYLCYCLOHEXENE.