Method for preparing polyphenyls

Claim 1

The method which comprises hydroalkylating a charge monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon stream with a hydroalkylating quantity of hydrogen in the presence of hydroalkylation catalyst at hydroalkylation conditions thereby forming a hydroalkylate product stream containing naphthenyl benzenes; dehydrogenating, in the presence of dehydrogenating catalyst at dehydrogenation conditions, a dehydrogenation charge stream containing at least a portion of the naphthenyl benzenes in said hydroalkylate product and at least one diluent-carrier selected from the group consisting of benzene, cyclohexylbenzenes, methylcyclopentane, cyclohexane, toluene, xylene, and mixtures thereof, thereby forming a dehydrogenated product stream containing polyphenyls in diluent-carrier, said diluent-carrier being of lower molecular weight than said product polyphenyls; and recovering said polyphenyls from said dehydrogenated product stream.

Claim 2

The method which comprises hydroalkylating a charge monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon stream with a hydroalkylating quantity of hydrogen in the presence of hydroalkylation catalyst at hydroalkylation conditions thereby forming a hydroalkylate product stream containing naphthenyl benzenes; dehydrogenating, in the presence of dehydrogenating catalyst at dehydrogenation conditions, a dehydrogenation charge stream containing at least a portion of the naphthenyl benzenes in said hydroalkylate product and at least one diluent-carrier selected from the group consisting of benzene, cyclohexylbenzenes, methylcyclopentane, cyclohexane, toluene, xylene, and mixtures thereof, thereby forming a dehydrogenated product stream containing polyphenyls in diluent-carrier, said diluent-carrier being of lower molecular weight than said product polyphenyls; and recovering said polyphenyls from said dehydrogenated product stream.

Claim 10

The method which comprises hydroalkylating a charge benzene stream with a hydroalkylating quantity of hydrogen in the presence of hydroalkylation catalyst at hydroalkylation conditions thereby forming a hydroalkylate product stream containing unconverted benzene and naphthenyl benzenes; dehydrogenating, in the presence of dehydrogenating catalyst at dehydrogenation conditions, a dehydrogenation charge stream containing at least the naphthenyl benzenes in said hydroalkylate product and a dehydrogenated product-solubilizing amount of benzene, thereby forming a dehydrogenated product stream containing polyphenyls in benzene; and recovering said polyphenyls from said dehydrogenated product stream.

Claim 11

The method which comprises hydroalkylating a charge benzene stream with a hydroalkylating quantity of hydrogen in the presence of hydroalkylation catalyst at hydroalkylation conditions thereby forming a hydroalkylate product stream containing unconverted benzene and naphthenyl benzenes; dehydrogenating, in the presence of dehydrogenating catalyst at dehydrogenation conditions, a dehydrogenation charge stream containing at least the naphthenyl benzenes in said hydroalkylate product and a dehydrogenated product-solubilizing amount of benzene, thereby forming a dehydrogenated product stream containing polyphenyls in benzene; and recovering said polyphenyls from said dehydrogenated product stream.

Claim 12

The method which comprises hydroalkylating a charge benzene stream with a hydrogen partial pressure of 50 to 1500 psig in the presence of hydroalkylating catalyst at temperature of 80°-200°C and pressure of 50-1500 psig thereby forming a hydroalkylate product stream containing (i) unconverted benzene and (ii) cyclohexyl benzene; flashing at least a portion of said unconverted benzene from said hydroalkylate product stream in a first flashing operation thereby forming a first flashed hydroalkylate product stream containing a dehydrogenated product-solubilizing amount of benzene; dehydrogenating said first flashed hydroalkylate product stream containing said dehydrogenated product-solubilizing amount of benzene at 700°-1100°F and total pressure of 0-1000 psig thereby forming a fluid dehydrogenated product stream containing polyphenyls in benzene; separating said benzene from said dehydrogenated product stream; and recovering said polyphenyls from said product stream.

Claim 13

The method which comprises hydroalkylating a charge benzene stream with a hydrogen partial pressure of 50 to 1500 psig in the presence of hydroalkylating catalyst at temperature of 80°-200°C and pressure of 50-1500 psig thereby forming a hydroalkylate product stream containing (i) unconverted benzene and (ii) cyclohexyl benzene; flashing at least a portion of said unconverted benzene from said hydroalkylate product stream in a first flashing operation thereby forming a first flashed hydroalkylate product stream containing a dehydrogenated product-solubilizing amount of benzene; dehydrogenating said first flashed hydroalkylate product stream containing said dehydrogenated product-solubilizing amount of benzene at 700°-1100°F and total pressure of 0-1000 psig thereby forming a fluid dehydrogenated product stream containing polyphenyls in benzene; separating said benzene from said dehydrogenated product stream; and recovering said polyphenyls from said product stream.

Claim 14

The method which comprises dehydrogenating, in the presence of dehydrogenating catalyst at dehydrogenation conditions, a dehydrogenation charge stream containing a naphthenyl benzene and at least one diluent-carrier selected from the group consisting of benzene, cyclohexyl benzene, methyl cyclopentane, cyclohexane, toluene, xylene, and mixtures thereof thereby forming a dehydrogenated product stream containing polyphenyls in diluent-carrier, said diluent-carrier being of lower molecular weight than said polyphenyls; and recovering said product stream.

Claim 15

The method which comprises dehydrogenating, in the presence of dehydrogenating catalyst at dehydrogenation conditions, a dehydrogenation charge stream containing a naphthenyl benzene and at least one diluent-carrier selected from the group consisting of benzene, cyclohexyl benzene, methyl cyclopentane, cyclohexane, toluene, xylene, and mixtures thereof thereby forming a dehydrogenated product stream containing polyphenyls in diluent-carrier, said diluent-carrier being of lower molecular weight than said polyphenyls; and recovering said product stream.

Claim 16

The method which comprises dehydrogenating, in the presence of dehydrogenating catalyst at dehydrogenation conditions, a dehydrogenation charge stream containing a cyclohexyl benzene and, as a diluent-carrier, benzene thereby forming a dehydrogenated product stream containing biphenyl and benzene; separating said benzene from said product stream; and recovering said product stream containing biphenyl.

Claim 17

The method which comprises dehydrogenating, in the presence of dehydrogenating catalyst at dehydrogenation conditions, a dehydrogenation charge stream containing a cyclohexyl benzene and, as a diluent-carrier, benzene thereby forming a dehydrogenated product stream containing biphenyl and benzene; separating said benzene from said product stream; and recovering said product stream containing biphenyl.

Claim 18

The method which comprises dehydrogenating, in the presence of dehydrogenating catalyst at dehydrogenation conditions, a dehydrogenation charge stream containing a dicyclohexyl benzene and, as a diluent-carrier, benzene or a cyclohexyl benzene thereby forming a dehydrogenated product stream containing terphenyl and diluent-carrier; separating said diluent-carrier from said product stream; and recovering said product stream containing terphenyl.

Claim 19

The method which comprises dehydrogenating, in the presence of dehydrogenating catalyst at dehydrogenation conditions, a dehydrogenation charge stream containing a dicyclohexyl benzene and, as a diluent-carrier, benzene or a cyclohexyl benzene thereby forming a dehydrogenated product stream containing terphenyl and diluent-carrier; separating said diluent-carrier from said product stream; and recovering said product stream containing terphenyl.