CATALYST FOR DEHYDROGENATION OXYGEN-CONTAINING DERIVATIVES OF THE CYCLOHEXANE SERIES INTO THE CORRESPONDING CYCLIC KETONES AND/OR PHENOLS

A catalyst for dehydrogenating oxygen containing derivatives of the cyclohexane series having the following general formula where R1 is either hydrogen or a C1-C4 radical, R2 and R3 are radicals which may be the same or different being selected from -H, -OH, and =O, provided that R2 and R3 are not both hydrogen atoms, R1, R2, R3 being linked to different carbon atoms of the ring to form the corresponding cyclic ketones and/or phenols, said catalyst comprising the following components (wt.%) nickel . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 to 55 tin . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.2 to 1.95 inert carrier . . . . . . . . 84.8 to 43.05, and the atomic ratio of nickel and tin being within 26:1 and 410: 1, and may contain additionally an alkali salt of a mineral acid in an amount of 0.01 to 1.0 wt.%. The invention also provides a process for dehydrogenating said oxygen-containing derivatives of the cyclohexane series to form the corresponding cyclic ketones and/or phenols which comprises contacting the oxygen-containing derivatives of the cyclohexane series with said catalysts in the presence of a diluent, i.e., an inert gas, aliphatic hydrocarbons C1-C4, nitrogen, carbon dioxide gas, steam, aliphatic alcohols C1-C3, or various combinations thereof at a temperature of from 160 to 340.degree.C, a partial pressure of the oxygen-containing derivatives of the cyclohexane series, ranging between 0.003 and 0.1 atm, and feed rates of said oxygen-containing derivatives of the cyclohexane series and of said diluent being from 0.5 to 5.0 kg/lhr and 1 to 53 m3/1hr, respectively. The catalyst has a high capacity (up to 3.8 kg/1 per hour), selectivity (up to 99 per cent) and stability, its effective period lasting up to 400 hours and more without degrading its characteristics as to capacity and selectivity. The process is simple as to the process equipment and techniques and involves but low operating costs.