Page 29 - Chemical and process design handbook

Speight_Part 1_C&D 11/7/01 3:03 PM Page 1.15

DEHYDROGENATION 1.15
of alcohols. Acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and cyclohexanone can be made
in this fashion.
C H CH CH → C H CH=CH + H
6 5 2 3 6 5 2 2
Acetone is the ketone used in largest quantity and is produced as a
by-product of the manufacture of phenol via cumene. Manufacture
from iso-propanol is by the reaction:
(CH ) CHOH → (CH ) C=O
3 2 3 2
o
This reaction takes place at 350 C and 200 kPa with copper or zinc
acetate as the catalyst; conversion is 85 to 90 percent. Purification by dis-
tillation follows.
The dehydrogenation of n-paraffins yields detergent alkylates and n-olefins.
The catalytic use of rhenium for selective dehydrogenation has increased in
recent years since dehydrogenation is one of the most commonly practiced of
the chemical unit processes.

See Hydrogenation.