Abstract: A method for the preparation of methyl tertiary butyl ether is provided wherein a mixture of methanol and substantially peroxides-free tertiary butyl alcohol are catalytically reacted to form a reaction product comprising unreacted methanol, unreacted tertiary butyl alcohol, water, isobutylene and methyl tertiary butyl ether, that is separated into a substantially anhydrous first lighter distillation fraction comprising isobutylene, methanol and methyl tertiary butyl ether and a second heavier distillation fraction comprising methanol, tertiary butyl alcohol and water, and wherein the isobutylene and methanol in the first distillation fraction are reacted to form an isobutylene conversion product that contains additional methyl tertiary butyl ether that is substantially free from tertiary butyl alcohol.

Abstract: MTBE is prepared from TBA and MeOH by passing a feed mixture comprising TBA and MeOH through a primary MTBE reaction zone to form a primary reaction product containing MTBE, unreacted TBA, unreacted MeOH, isobutylene and water; the primary reaction product is fractionated to provide a first lighter distillation fraction comprising isobutylene, MeOH and MTBE and a first higher boiling distillation fraction comprising MeOH, TBA and water and the first higher boiling distillation fraction is charged to a second stage MTBE reaction zone to form a second stage reaction product comprising unreacted MeOH, unreacted TBA water, isobutylene and MTBE.