How to prepare cyclohexanone without starting with cyclohexanol?

What's an easy way to prepare cyclohexanone if I dont have direct access to cyclohexanol? I'm willing to synthesize cyclohexanol from more common materials, then make cyclohexanone from that. But most of the instructions for one cyclohexano- say to start with the other cyclohexano-.


I'm looking to start with common materials and synthesize cyclohexanone or cyclohexanol. If i have cyclohexanol, i can use bleach and acetic acid to make cyclohexanone.


Since I dont have access to lab deliveries at the current moment, what are the most common chemicals to start with to make this happen? AKA, stuff I can order legally online without a lab cert.




Do you have access to phenol? If you have, then use that to make cyclohexanol (hydrogenation of phenol using nickel catalyst):


[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/AQP3e.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/AQP3e.png)


Then treat cyclohexanol with copper(II) and chromium(III) oxides to convert it to corresponding ketone (Dehydrogenation):


[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0Z9D9.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0Z9D9.png)


Benzene could work as a starting material but the reaction might be costly and hectic as the catalyst is not a household item$\ce{^{[2]}}$. Secondly, it is used as a starting material in the synthesis of nylon and the reaction intermediate is a mixture of cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone(mixed oil)$\ce{^{[3]}}$ which add to your task of separating them. Better convert it to phenol$\ce{^{[4]}}$.


**Notes and References**


1. <http://www.leck.co.uk/demo/eci3/polymers/polyamides.html> (above reaction synthesis source). It is a part of polyamide synthesis
2. <https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/B:CATL.0000011080.03035.eb>
3. <http://www.greener-industry.org.uk/pages/nylon/4nylonpopup.htm>
4. <https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-method-to-convert-benzene-to-phenol>
5. <https://russianpatents.com/patent/220/2205819.html>


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There exist different approaches to synthesize cyclohexanol and/or cyclohexanone from cyclohexane. One method is to use O2 and Vanadium oxides at 400°C and 15 atmospheres. Another method is to oxidize with H2O2 at 80°C with a catalyzer made from Silica gel treated by a silicone derivates holding an amino drop at the end of the alkyl chain fixed on Si. The so obtained amino-catalyzer is then treated by eosin, and then with copper ions, before being used to oxidize cyclohexane. I doubt these processes can be used easily for producing small amounts of cyclohexanol or -one in an ordinary lab. 


Another approach is starting from phenol, that gets reduced by H2. This is the way DuPont produces cyclohexanol which is then oxidized by HNO3 and converted into adipic acid, before being then copolymerized with hexanediamine for synthesizing nylon. 


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Well as u said you have access to cyclohexane then oxidation of cyclohexane in the presence of oxygen yield a mixture of cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone.You can add a good oxidizing agents such as Pyridinium chlorochromate or potassium dichromate as per availability increase the yield of cyclohexone (as ketones dont get easily oxidised).


Reference:
1)<http://www.greener-industry.org.uk/pages/nylon/4nylonpopup.htm>
2)<https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_the_mechanism_of_the_oxidation_of_cyclohexane_like_What_are_the_most_common_products>
3)<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxidation_of_secondary_alcohols_to_ketones>
4)<https://www.chemguide.co.uk/organicprops/alcohols/oxidation.html>


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