Process for recovering monoalkylbenzene

1. A process for recovering monoalkylbenzene from a gas stream comprising oxygen and monoalkylbenzene, wherein the gas stream comprising oxygen and monoalkylbenzene is contacted with a liquid stream comprising a naphthalene compound.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the monoalkylbenzene is a benzene which is substituted with an alkyl substituent which is a linear or branched C 1 -C 4 alkyl group, including ethyl, iso-propyl and sec-butyl.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the monoalkylbenzene is ethylbenzene.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the naphthalene compound is naphthalene, alkylated naphthalene or a mixture thereof.

5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the alkylated naphthalene is a naphthalene which is substituted with one or more C 1-4 alkyl groups, preferably a methyl group and/or ethyl group.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the gas stream and the liquid stream are contacted counter-currently.

7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the gas stream is fed to the bottom of a vertical column and the liquid stream is fed to the top of said column

8. The process of claim 1 , resulting in a liquid stream comprising monoalkylbenzene originating from the gas stream and the naphthalene compound and a gas stream comprising oxygen, wherein said liquid stream is separated into a fraction comprising monoalkylbenzene and a fraction comprising the naphthalene compound.

9. A process for preparing alkyl phenyl hydroperoxide comprising:

(i) reacting monoalkylbenzene into alkyl phenyl hydroperoxide using an oxygen containing gas as the oxidant;

(ii) separating the reaction mixture into a liquid stream comprising alkyl phenyl hydroperoxide and monoalkylbenzene and a gas stream comprising oxygen and monoalkylbenzene;

(iii) contacting the gas stream comprising oxygen and monoalkylbenzene with a liquid stream comprising a naphthalene compound in accordance with claim 1 , resulting in a liquid stream comprising monoalkylbenzene originating from the gas stream and the naphthalene compound and a gas stream comprising oxygen.

10. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the liquid stream obtained in step (iii) is separated into a fraction comprising monoalkylbenzene and a fraction comprising the naphthalene compound.

11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the fraction comprising monoalkylbenzene is recycled to step (i).

12. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the fraction comprising the naphthalene compound is recycled to step (iii).