Patents Represented by Attorney Malcolm D. Wise L. Gene Keen
  • Patent number: 5313004
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for integrating isoalkane dehydrogenation with isoalkene/alkanol etherification in a manner that eliminates the need to condense the isoalkene and/or isoalkane components of the dehydrogenation process in order to produce alkyl tertiary alkyl ethers. The novel process integration permits recycling of unreacted isoalkene and/or isoalkane components of the integrated dehydrogenation and etherification process back to the dehydrogenation reactor with revaporization. It has been determined that isoalkane dehydrogenation can be integrated with vapor phase etherification by pressuring the dehydrogenation effluent and passing compressed isoalkene to the vapor phase etherification zone. Following etherification and separation of the etherification effluent, unreacted isoalkene and isoalkane vapor components of the etherification effluent are recycled to the dehydrogenation zone. Optionally, unreacted isoalkene is oligomerized in contact with medium pore shape selective zeolite catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Mohsen N. Harandi, Paul J. Oswald