Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing alkyl tertiary alkyl ether such as TAME from alkanol and hydrocarbon feedstock containing linear olefins, iso-olefins, linear alkanes and iso-alkanes such as C5 streams from FCC. The process selectively etherifies iso-olefins in a plural stage etherification zone whose linear olefin-containing effluent is treated by distillation to remove iso-alkanes, and alkanol before passing to a skeletal isomerization zone using constrained intermediate pore size zeolite catalyst such as ZSM-22, ZSM-23, or ZSM-35, which converts linear olefins to iso-olefins which are cycled for etherification. The use of distillation to remove iso-alkanes and alkanol reduces mass flow to the etherification process and minimizes skeletal isomerization catalyst poisoning by alkanol, without resort to water extraction processes which require subsequent treatment of the isomerization zone feed to remove water.

Abstract: A synergistic process for the production of methanol comprises electrolysing water to produce hydrogen and oxygen; providing a feed stream of an organic combustible fuel; feeding at least a portion of the oxygen together with a stoichiometric amount of the organic combustible fuel to a partial oxidation reactor to produce off gases including carbon monoxide and hydrogen; feeding a stoichiometric amount of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a methanol synthesizer to produce methanol. Further, the process utilizes the methanol and off gases and supplies of hydrocarbons and ethanol to produce MTBE and/or ETBE.

Abstract: An improved process is disclosed for the removal of nitrogen compounds from light hydrocarbon streams. Such nitrogen removal enhances the performance of catalytic processes which upgrade light hydrocarbons, especially light olefins, such as isomerization and etherification. The nitrogen-removal process can usefully be combined with steps for removal of sulfur compounds and highly unsaturated compounds in a process combination for upgrading the light hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Porous metallosilicate catalyst (e.g. Zeolite Beta) is active at low temperature for converting lower alkanol (e.g. methanol) and C.sub.4 -C.sub.7 tertiary alkenes to high octane ether product. Such catalytic reaction is especially useful in multizone catalytic reactor systems employing catstill rectification.

Abstract: A method for improving the conversion of isobutylene in the MTBE reaction process while simultaneously producing a substantially methanol-free MTBE utilizes an increased methanol to isobutylene molar ratio in the reaction process and methanol-free C4 hydrocarbons as reflux. The use of a methanol-free C4 hydrocarbon stream as reflux eliminates the excess methanol generated by increasing the methanol to isobutylene molar ratio without requiring a higher reflux ratio or changing operating conditions. The method permits isobutylene conversion of more than 98% while producing a purified MTBE with less than 0.5% methanol content.

Abstract: Dialkyl ethers having 5 to 7 carbon atoms; e.g. MTBE, and alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms are extracted from wastewater with contaminant-free gasoline. Wastewater saturated with contaminants is reduced to 200 ppm contaminants in the absence of stripping. An octane enhanced gasoline is recovered. Additional ether may be added to the recovered gasoline to increase octane. The method is particularly effective in wastewater/gasoline system containing emulsifiers such as surfactants, gasoline detergents and colloidal particles.

Abstract: An olefin hydration catalyst is regenerated with a non-oxidizing light gas, such as hydrogen. Light olefins, especially propylene, are converted to a mixture of alcohol(s), such as isopropanol (IPA) and ether(s), such as diisopropylether (DIPE) by contacting a feed containing the olefin with water and/or alcohol with the olefin hydration catalyst. Regeneration conditions include temperatures of from about 150.degree. C. to about 550.degree. C., pressures below about 1000 psig (6900 kPa). Lower pressures of regeneration unexpectedly demonstrated more effective catalyst regeneration through greater coke removal.

Abstract: The present invention is a cyclic process for the preparation of ethyl tert.-alkyl ethers by the reaction of an alcohol, ethanol, with an iso-olefin such as isobutylene or isoamylene wherein an effluent from the reaction zone is separated in a distillation column to provide an overhead effluent stream and a bottoms effluent stream comprising ethyl tert.-alkyl ether and unreacted ethanol. The unreacted ethanol is recovered in an adsorption zone comprising a selective adsorbent selected from the group consisting of zeolite 13X, sodium zeolite Y, alumina, silicalite and mixtures thereof. The invention is useful in recovering unreacted ethanol from the bottoms effluent stream and returning the unreacted ethanol to the reaction zone. The invention reduces the cost of this separation which is complicated by the formation of an azeotrope between the unreacted alcohol and the ether.

Abstract: In a process for producing tertiary alkyd ethers from an olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock, undesirable normal alkanes are removed from the process by passing at least a portion of a hydrocarbon process stream to an alkane isomerization zone to convert normal alkane to isoalkane and passing the alkane isomerization zone effluent to a separation zone to remove the isoalkane. Since no normal alkane is discharged from the process, the loss of valuable olefins, which have boiling points close to normal alkane, is prevented and olefins are retained in the process and converted to the appropriate tertiary alkyl ether. The result is an increase in the ether yield.

Abstract: In process for the production of diisopropyl ether, a propylene-containing stream is contacted with isopropyl alcohol in a first stage in the presence of a catalyst under conditions to produce an effluent stream comprising diisopropyl ether. At least a portion of this effluent stream is recycled to a second stage where the diisopropyl ether is reacted with water to produce isopropyl alcohol. The isopropyl alcohol is then recycled to the first stage. The benefit of producing isopropyl alcohol by the hydration of diisopropyl ether is that it is an easier reaction than, for example, the hydration of propylene. As a result, the process of the present invention can operate under less severe conditions, i.e., less cost.

Abstract: An impure methyl tertiary butyl ether product contaminated with isobutylene, methanol and water is purified by continuous counter-current contact with water and isobutylene in a counter-current contact extraction tower to provide an overhead extract comprising isobutylene, methyl tertiary butyl ether and water and a raffinate comprising methanol, water and a minor amount of methyl tertiary butyl ether, the overhead raffinate being separated in a methyl tertiary butyl ether purification distillation zone into a lighter distillation fraction comprising isobutylene and water and a heavier distillation fraction consisting essentially of methyl tertiary butyl ether, the lighter distillation fraction being decanted to remove water and to provide a distillate isobutylene fraction that is charged to a surge drum from which isobutylene is returned to the contact tower.

Abstract: Ethers suitable for use as high octane oxygenate additives for motor fuels or other compounds such as alcohols or alkylates are produced in a catalytic distillation process wherein a C.sub.4 -plus isoolefin(s) and an alcohol present in the catalytic distillation zone overhead stream are charged to a packed liquid-phase reaction zone containing an etherification catalyst before being recycled to the overall catalytic distillation zone. The effluent of the liquid-phase reactor is returned to the catalytic distillation zone at a point above the catalyst in this zone. The feed(s) to the process passes directly into the catalytic distillation zone, without passage through a prereactor, at a point located below a majority of catalyst bed in the catalytic distillation zone.

Abstract: Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is formed by reaction of methanol with tertiary butyl ether in two catalyst beds. A feedstock mixture comprising methanol and tertiary butyl alcohol in a molar ratio of 2 to 3 moles of methanol per mole of tertiary butyl alcohol is reacted in a first etherification reaction zone at a liquid hourly space velocity of 1 to 10 volumes of feedstock mixture per volume of catalyst per hour. A first reaction product mixture is fractionated to remove unreacted methanol, isobutylene and MTBE overhead. This isobutylene is passed to a second etherification reaction zone at a liquid hourly space velocity of 1 to 10. A second reaction product mixture is fractionated to recover additional MTBE.

Abstract: There is provided a novel integrated process for producing methyl tertiary butyl ether from a C.sub.4 containing hydrocarbon feedstock comprising passing the feedstock through zones of butadiene hydrogenation, MTBE synthesis, paraffin/olefin separation and skeletal isomerization.

Abstract: A process for upgrading a light olefin feed by converting the 1-olefins to higher molecular weight oligomers and the iso-oleins to fuel ethers or alcohols. The process provides substantial improvements in the production of lower alkyl tertiary alkyl ethers or tertiary alkyl alcohol, such as methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), methyl tertiary amyl ether (TAME) or tertiary butyl alcohol. The 1-olefin component of the hydrocarbon feedstream is separated by selective oligomerization in contact with a reduced chromium oxide catalyst to form an olefin oligomer of higher molecular weight, such as gasoline, distillate and lube range hydrocarbons. The iso-olefins are separated by etherification with a lower alcohol such as methanol or by hydration to form an alcohol such as tertiary butanol. The oligomerization process can be integrated either upstream or downstream of the etherification step.

Abstract: A process for preparing alkyl tert alkyl ethers includes the steps of providing a liquid olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock having a sulfur content, providing an ion exchange resin containing an amount of palladium selected based upon the sulfur content of the liquid olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock, mixing the liquid olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock with alcohol and hydrogen so as to obtain a reaction feedstock and treating the reaction feedstock with the ion exchange resin under etherification conditions so as to obtain an alkyl tert alkyl ether.

Abstract: In a single stage process for producing diisopropyl ether, SO.sub.3 from a DIPE reactor effluent is transferred to an aqueous phase in a liquid extraction zone and removed from the aqueous phase using a basic ion exchange resin disposed in an SO.sub.3 removal zone. As a consequence, DIPE reactor effluent can be returned to the DIPE reactor to serve as a solvent and to assist in providing cooling to the DIPE reactor without causing catalyst deactivation.

Abstract: A reactive distillation process which makes it possible, in the same enclosure, to carry out a catalytic reaction and isolate by distillation the sought product, in which the liquid phase containing the reagents passes from bottom to top through at least one catalyst bed, without the vapor phase of the distillation traversing said catalyst beds. These operating characteristics occur in a reactive distillation zone (C) including an alternation of distillation cells (D) having one or more trays (5) and reaction cells (R) containing the catalyst beds and designed in such a way that the liquid phase flowing from a distillation tray (5) flows above an overflow ( 7) through a downpipe (6) and approaches the base of the catalyst bed (8), traverses the latter in a downward flow and is then allowed to flow over a distillation tray (5) of the following distillation cell (D), so that the distillation vapor circulating from bottom to top through the distillation trays (5) does not traverse said reaction cells (R).

Abstract: A process for simultaneously producing C.sub.5 -C.sub.12 alkane(s) and C.sub.5 -C.sub.8 tertiary alkyl ether(s) employs a liquid feed mixture containing (a) at least one C.sub.4 -C.sub.7 isoalkane, (b) at least one second reactant which is at least one C.sub.4 -C.sub.8 isoalkane, and/or at least one C.sub.4 -C.sub.8 tertiary alkyl alcohol, and (c) at least one C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 linear alkyl alcohol, wherein the liquid feed mixture is contacted at effective reaction conditions with a catalyst consisting essentially of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid and a specific solid carrier material (preferably alumina).

Abstract: A catalyzed, continuous vapor phase process to convert a C.sub.2 or higher alcohol and, optionally, one or more C.sub.1 or higher alcohols, for example methanol and ethanol, to a mixture containing at least one higher molecular weight alcohol, for example, isobutanol, over a catalyst which is essentially magnesium oxide. The process also may have a lower aldehyde and/or ketone in the feed.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a tertiary alkyl ether, in particular methyl tert. amyl ether (MTAE), is described which comprises reacting, in a reaction section, a charge constituted by a mixture of C.sub.5 hydrocarbons, including reactive isopentenes, with an aliphatic monoalcohol in excess, such as methanol, ethanol, propanol or isopropanol, and collecting in the bottom of a fractionation section the corresponding pure tert. alkyl ether. The head effluent, after condensation, is subdivided into a liquid reflux and a distillate. The process is further characterized by providing a finishing reactor for the reflux, or for the reflux + distillate effluent prior to the subdivision thereof, or two finishing reactors are provided, one for the reflux and the other for the distillate, along with the possibility of injecting aliphatic monoalcohol upstream of each finishing reactor.

Abstract: Ethers suitable for use as high octane oxygenate additives for motor fuels are produced by a catalytic distillation process wherein a mixture of C.sub.4 -plus isoolefin(s) and an alcohol are recovered from a catalytic distillation zone as an overhead stream and charged to a packed liquid-phase reaction zone containing an etherification catalyst before being recycled to one or more portions of the overall catalytic distillation zone. The process is useful in the coprocessing of a mixture of isobutylene and isoamylene and in other hydrocarbon conversion processes such as hydration and alkylation.

Abstract: An isobutylene feed mixture comprising MTBE, isobutylene and methanol is passed through an isobutylene conversion zone to form an isobutylene conversion product comprising unreacted methanol, unreacted isobutylene, dimethyl ether, MTBE and water, then charged to a countercurrent methanol extraction zone and contacting with water to provide an overhead raffinate comprising isobutylene, MTBE and water, and an extract comprising methanol, water, MTBE, isobutylene and dimethyl ether;the extract is distilled to provide a vaporized overhead fraction comprising MTBE, isobutylene, methanol, and dimethyl ether;the vaporized overhead fraction is partially condensed and from about 5 to 10 wt. % of the mixed phase condensate is vented to thereby provide a liquid condensate that is substantially free from dissolved dimethyl ether, and the condensate is recycled to the methanol extraction zone.

Abstract: In an etherification process that uses an FCC effluent as a source of isoolefins, the buildup of nitriles in an alcohol-containing stream that is recycled to the etherification zone is prevented by dragging at least a portion of the methanol-containing stream to the FCC reaction zone. As a result, the etherification catalyst deactivation rate is reduced.

Abstract: The simultaneous production of an olefin-free, tert.amyl alkyl, ether-rich fraction an n-pentane-rich paraffin fraction, wherein a charge based on isopentenes is hydrogenated (1) under appropriate conditions to bring about a distribution of the methyl butenes close to thermodynamic equilibrium and then the hydrogenation effluent is treated in an etherification zone (2).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conducting a catalytic distillation process is provided which allows for maintaining a liquid level in selected portions of the catalyst bed. Three particular processes disclosed are the production of methyl tertiary butyl ether, tertiary butyl alcohol and cumene.

Abstract: A combination of an etherification process and a process for the isomerization of linear alkenes to isoalkenes uses an adsorptive separation zone for olefin and paraffin separation upstream of the MTBE unit to reduce olefin losses associated with the rejection of butanes. The location of the MTBE unit downstream of the adsorptive separation zone facilitates the essentially complete removal of isobutane from the process. Supplemental rejection of isobutane downstream of the adsorptive separation permits the use of low purity adsorptive separation zone and also allows the recovery of a high purity butene-1 product.

Abstract: A process for production of diisopropyl ether by conversion of hydrocarbon feedstock containing propene, propane and C.sub.2 - light gas components, including the steps of: optionally, prefractionating fresh feedstock containing propene, propane and C.sub.2 - light gas components to provide a reactor feedstream rich in propene; contacting the feedstock and water in a catalytic reactor with acidic catalyst under olefin hydration and etherification conditions; and recovering from the catalytic reactor a liquid reactor effluent stream containing diisopropyl ether, isopropanol, water, unreacted propene, propane and C.sub.2 - light gas components. Improved operation is achieved by separating the liquid effluent stream in a vertical stripper column; recovering an overhead vapor stream containing propene, propane and C.sub.2 - light gas components from the stripper column; cooling the overhead vapor stream to provide a reflux stream rich in condensed propene and propane; removing the C.sub.

Abstract: The present invention is an integrated isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and diisopropyl ether (DIPE) process. In this process, IPA, substantially free of DIPE, is formed in a hydration reactor by reacting an olefinic feedstock with water in a hydration reactor. The effluent from the hydration reactor is then contacted in a first separation unit with DIPE which was made in an etherification reactor. The resulting mixture is then passed to a second separation unit to separate the IPA from the DIPE product. The IPA is then fed to the etherification reactor to produce DIPE.

Abstract: A multi-purpose distillation column reactor is disclosed which may be used for the production of tertiary amyl methyl ether from the reaction of the isoamylenes contained in a light naphtha with methanol. Two reaction distillation zones are disposed above a stripping section. The stripping, in addition to removing the TAME product, also removes the C.sub.6 and heavier components. The first reaction distillation zone contains a hydrotreating catalyst for removing diolefins and mercaptans. The second distillation reaction zone contains an acid cation exchange resin for the etherification reaction and the entire column serves to fractionate the multiple component reaction system (reacts, inerts, products and contaminants) concurrently with the multiple reactions.

Abstract: A process for the etherification of isoolefins with alcohols is provided wherein the reaction occurs simultaneously with separation of the ether product and reactants. To assure proper alcohol concentration in a catalytic distillation column, the oxygen concentration derived from alcohol is measured at a point below the catalyst bed and controlled to that which maximizes ether production while preventing alcohol from leaving the reactor with ether product.

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.

Abstract: In a reforming reactor operated with reactor outlet temperatures from 600.degree. to 1300.degree. C. and under a pressure from 10 to 100 bars, a methane-containing hydrocarbon gas is reacted with oxygen and water vapor. The reforming reactor is additionally fed with a high-hydrogen gas, which contains free hydrogen. The raw synthesis gas withdrawn from the reforming reactor is mainly composed of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Without a removal of carbon dioxide from the raw synthesis gas, a synthesis gas is produced, which is suitable for the methanol synthesis and in which the concentrations of the components H.sub.2, CO and CO.sub.2 have a molar ratio (H.sub.2 -CO.sub.2): (CO+CO.sub.2), called the stoichiometric number, from 1.97 to 2.2. In case of need, the stoichiometry number can be adjusted by adding hydrogen to the raw synthesis gas coming from the reforming reactor.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the pretreatment of olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock to remove conjugated dienes and/or basic nitrogen compounds that deactivate acidic catalyst particles used in olefin conversion processes by reacting the dienes with one or more dienophiles to form the corresponding Diels-Alder adduct, followed by catalytic conversion of the olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock containing the adduct. The formation of the Diels-Alder adduct essentially eliminates the role of dienes in the feedstock as catalyst deactivating agents. When maleic anhydride (MA) is employed as the dienophile, basic nitrogen reacts with maleic anhydride, or with the tetrahydrophthalic anhydride adduct, to lower the amount of catalyst deactivating basic nitrogen compounds in the feedstock. Where the olefin conversion process comprises etherification of isoolefins with alkanol in a C.sub.4 + or C.sub.

Abstract: A process is provided in which an alcohol having X carbon atoms is reacted over an L-type zeolite catalyst to produce a higher molecular weight alcohol. In some embodiments, a first alcohol having X carbon atoms is condensed with a second alcohol having Y carbon atoms to produce a branched-chain alcohol having X+Y carbon atoms. Processes for making ethers useful as fuel oxygenates which incorporate the foregoing process steps also are disclosed.

Abstract: A combination of an etherification process and a process for the isomerization of linear alkenes to isoalkenes uses an adsorptive separation zone that receives an effluent fraction from the etherification reaction zone and separates the fraction at low efficiency to produce an isomerization feed stream comprising normal butenes and butanes, and a butane stream that is rejected from the process. The rejection of butanes at low efficiency reduces or eliminates the loss of butenes with the rejection of butane. A low efficiency adsorptive separation to reject butanes also benefits the isomerization process by inhibiting coking.

Abstract: An ether compound is continuously produced by a process in which (1) a C.sub.1-3 lower alcohol is reacted with a C.sub.3-6 hydrocarbon mixture comprising, as the major component thereof, an unsaturated C.sub.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the preparation of MTBE or ETBE wherein TBA is reacted with methanol or ethanol and an effluent is formed which contains the water of etherification and at least 1 mol lower alcohol per 2 mols MTBE or ETBE, this effluent is distilled to separate an overhead of lower alcohol and ether from a bottoms containing the water of reaction, and a lower alcohol/ether admixture from the overhead is reacted with isobutylene to form additional quantities of MTBE or ETBE.

Abstract: A method for starting up a fixed bed propylene hydration reactor containing shape selective metallosilicate catalyst particles for the production of isopropanol and/or diisopropyl ether is disclosed comprising the following sequential steps: contacting a feedstream comprising propane with catalyst particles in a hydration reactor; then introducing a feedstream comprising isopropanol into the reactor to displace propane. Next, a feedstream comprising propylene is introduced into the reactor under etherification conditions. Finally, a feedstream is introduced in the reactor comprising water under etherification and hydration reaction conditions whereby diisopropyl ether and isopropanol are produced.

Abstract: A combination of an etherification process and a process for the isomerization of linear alkenes to isoalkenes uses a separation zone that receives an effluent stream from the etherification reaction zone and separates it into a high boiling stream, a low boiling stream and an intermediate boiling stream in order to reduce the mass flow of reactants through the isomerization and etherification reaction zones. The separation zone includes at least one distillation column. The distillation column can provide a distillation function only, or can also provide a reactive distillation zone. The intermediate boiling stream leaves a two column separation zone as a bottoms stream from a second column or in a single column separation zone as a sidecut which in the case of reactive distillation is taken from the point above a bed of catalyst within the column.

Abstract: A combination of an etherification process and a process for the isomerization of linear alkenes to isoalkenes uses a first etherification zone that passes an etherification effluent and an etherification recycle stream through a skeletal isomerization separation zone to prepare an etherification feed for an additional etherification reactor. Etherification of additional isoalkane reactants in a separate etherification zone permits the production of additional ether products through isomerization without requiring additional etherification capacity upstream of the isomerization zone. Therefore additional etherification capacity can be added without significant changes to existing etherification capacity. The additional etherification zone may be in the form of a reactive distillation reactor that provides a high boiling ether product stream, a low boiling isoalkane vent stream and an intermediate boiling normal butene sidecut stream.

Abstract: A selective alkene upgrading process wherein a mixture of intermediate molecular weight monoalkenes comprising at least one linear alkene component and at least one tertiary alkene component is contacted under selective olefin interconversion conditions with medium pore, shape selective acid catalyst, such as MCM-22 aluminosilicate zeolite, thereby converting at a major amount of linear intermediate alkene to lower alkene while leaving tertiary alkene substantially unconverted. In the preferred embodiments, the process interconversion conditions comprise reaction temperature in the range of about 300.degree. C. to 550.degree. C., pressure in the range of 100 kpa to 1000 kPa, thereby selectively converting at least 60% (net) of linear intermediate alkene while converting less than 20% (net) of branched alkene. By etherifying at least a portion of the unconverted tertiary alkene, an oxygenated fuel having enhanced octane rating is obtained. Cracked lower olefins may be recovered for upgrading.

Abstract: A continuous process for converting lower aliphatic alkanol and light olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock rich in tertiary olefins, such as isobutylene and other C.sub.4 isomeric hydrocarbons, to alkyl tertiary-alkyl ethers and C.sub.5 + gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Ethers suitable for use as high octane oxygenate additives for motor fuels are produced by a catalytic distillation process wherein a mixture of C.sub.4 -plus isoolefin(s) and an alcohol are recovered from a catalytic distillation zone as an overhead stream and charged to a packed liquid-phase reaction zone containing an etherification catalyst before being recycled to one or more portions of the overall catalytic distillation zone. The process is useful in the coprocessing of a mixture of isobutylene and isoamylene and in other hydrocarbon conversion processes such as hydration and alkylation.

Abstract: A method for integrating several petroleum refining processes so as to efficiently produce tertiary alkyl ether compounds from a feed stream containing both saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons is disclosed. An important step for forming isoolefins in the integrated process involves simultaneous catalytic conversion of an isoparaffin to an isoolefin and an n-olefin to an n-paraffin in a combination hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactor. The thus produced isoolefin is reacted with a primary alcohol to form the desired tertiary alkyl ether compound in an ether forming process. Other conversion process included in the overall integration are an isomerization process to convert n-paraffins to isoparaffins and optionally an alkylation process to convert isoparaffins and olefins to an alkylate product.

Abstract: An integrated process for producing iso-butene and alkyl tert-butyl ethers in which the iso-butene is obtained by dehydrogenation of iso-butane followed by purification by partial condensation plus absorption of residual vapor with a solvent, the alkyl tert-butyl ether being obtained by reacting the purified iso-butene product with the corresponding alcohol, the essential characteristic being that the solvent used for absorbing the iso-butene is part of the product alkyl tert-butyl ether itself and/or part of the corresponding alcohol used in the process.

Abstract: An integrated process for converting C.sub.4 /C.sub.5 hydrocarbons contained in a gasoline feedstock to more valuable motor fuel components includes various distillation steps, a hydroisomerization step, an etherification step (for producing t-amyl methyl ether), and an alkylation step. In a preferred embodiment, this process additionally includes a dehydrogenation step and a step of using formed debydrogenated hydrocarbons in the etherification step.

Abstract: The separation of ethyl tertiobutyl ether from mixtures with ethanol is based on heteroazeotropic distillation with water as the entrainer using two distillation columns, coupled with an overhead decanter. Purified ethanol is collected from the bottom of the first column and purified ETBE from the bottom of the second column. The separation method may be incorporated into an ETBE production unit in which isobutene (contained in a C.sub.4 -cut from steam cracking, catalytic cracking, or dehydrogenation of isobutane) is etherified by ethanol. Ethanol separated from the ETBE is then recycled to the etherification zone.

Abstract: A process is provided for selective etherification of iC.sub.4 =with EtOH to form ETBE in a distillation column reactor containing a fixed bed acid cation exchange resin as a catalytic distillation structure in a reaction distillation zone combined with a straight pass fixed bed reactor. A C.sub.4 feed containing isobutene is mixed with the total liquid downflow from the catalytic distillation reactor and passed to a straight pass fixed bed reactor, where up to about 85% of the isobutene is reacted with ethanol in the distillation column reactor effluent. This stream is returned to the distillation column reactor at a point below where the liquid downflow is withdrawn and then fractionated on conventional trays to remove ETBE as a bottom product.

Abstract: A process for the etherification of isoolefins with alcohols is provided wherein the reaction occurs simultaneously with separation of the ether product and reactants. To assure proper alcohol concentration throughout the reaction zone, the alcohol concentration is measured at a point below the catalyst bed and controlled to that which maximizes ether production while preventing alcohol from leaving the reactor with ether product.