Process for the preparation of
phenol and
cyclohexanone which comprises:a. the synthesis of cyclohexylbenzene by the hydro-
alkylation of
benzene by contact with
hydrogen or the
alkylation of
benzene with
cyclohexene using Y zeolites;b. the selective aerobic oxidation of cyclohexylbenzene to the corresponding hydroperoxide catalyzed by N-hydroxy-derivatives in the presence of polar solvents; andc. the scission of the hydroperoxide of cyclohexylbenzene to
phenol and
cyclohexanone by homogeneous or heterogeneous acid catalysts;characterized in that the synthesis of cyclohexylbenzene takes place in the presence of a catalytic
system comprising a Y
zeolite and an inorganic ligand wherein the Y
zeolite has a crystalline structure with openings consisting of 12 tetrahedra and the inorganic ligand is γ-
alumina, and wherein said catalytic composition is characterized by a pore volume, obtained by adding the mesoporosity and macroporosity fractions, greater than or equal to 0.7 cm3 / g, wherein at least 30% of said volume consists of pores with a
diameter greater than 100 nanometers.