Chemical process for the production of hydrogen peroxide

Claim 1

IN A CYCLIC ANTHRAQUINONE PROCESS FOR PRODUCING HYDROGEN PEROXIDE INVOLVING THE SUCCESSIVE STEPS OF; (1) HYDROGENATING IN THE PRESENCE OF A SOLID PARTICULATE HYDROGENATION CATALYST AN ALKYLANTHRAQUINONE IN SOLUTION IN A WATER-IMMISCIBLE SOLVENT, AND (2) OXYGENATING THE RESULTING ALKYLANTHRAHYDROQUINONE DISSOLVED IN SAID SOLVENT TO REGENERATE THE SOLUTION OF SAID ALKYLANTHRAQUINONE FOR RECYCLING IN THE PROCESS AFTER FIRST SEPARATING THEREFROM THE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE WHICH IS SIMULTANEOUSLY FORMED, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING EFFECTING SAID HYDROGENATION IN STEP (1) AT A TEMPERATURE NOT EXCEEDING ABOUT 50*C. AND IN THE PRESENCE OF A SOLID, CATALYST-FREE, PARTICULATE INORGANIC ALKALINE MATERIAL WHICH IS INSOLUBLE IN SAID SOLVENT AND IS IN ADMIXTURE WITH SAID HYDROGENATION CATALYST, SAID ALKALINE MATERIAL BEING PRESENT IN SAID SOLUTION IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO EFFECTIVELY NEUTRALIZE ANY ACIDITY WHICH MAY DEVELOP IN SAID SOLUTION, AND SAID ALKALINE MATERIAL BEING A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE CARBONATES, THE HYDROXIDES AND THE OXIDES OF MAGNESIUM AND THE ALKALINE EARTH METALS.