CYCLOHEXANE

Cyclohexane (hexahydrobenzene, melting point: 6.5

o
C, boiling point:
81
o
C, density: 0.7791, flash point: 20
o
C) can be quantitatively produced
from benzene by hydrogenation over either a nickel or a platinum catalyst
at 210
o
C and 350 to 500 psi hydrogen (Fig. 1).
C
6
H
6
+ 3H
2
C
6
H
12
Several reactors may be used in series and the yield is over 99 percent.
Cyclohexane is used for the manufacture of adipic acid and caprolac-
tam. Adipic acid is used to manufacture nylon 6,6, and caprolactam is the
monomer for nylon 6.
2.185
L
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Benzene
Hydrogen
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b
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d

f
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H
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Cyclohexane
Purge gas
Gas
Soluble catalyst
FIGURE 1 Manufacture of cyclohexane.
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