Washing with water removes most of the impurities. Treatment with sodium carbonate solution removes traces of acid and a final wash with water removes any remaining carbonate. The mechanism of the dehydration of cyclohexanol probably involves the formation of a carbocation.

How do you separate cyclohexane from cyclohexanol?

Cyclohexane cannot be readily separated from cyclohexene by conventional distillation or rectification because of the close proximity of their boiling points. Cyclohexane can be separated from cyclohexene by azeotropic or extractive distillation.

How do you extract cyclohexanol?

According to the method of the present invention, cyclohexanol can efficiently be extraction-separated from a reaction solution wherein cyclohexene has been hydrated in the presence of an acid, using a mixed solution of a hydrocarbon and a phenol.