METHOD OF PRODUCING METHYL-TERT-BUTYL ETHER Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: industrial organic syntheses. SUBSTANCE: invention refers to methods of above- said ether via etherification of isobuthane-isobutylene fractions with methanol in presence of sulfocationite catalysts. Invention, in particular, enables using worked out isobuthane-isobutylene fraction from dimethyldioxane production process and producing high-quality product. Initial fraction reacts with methanol under known conditions. Reaction products are subjected to water washing at weight water to products ratio 1:(4-5.5), whereupon washed products are transferred into column for isolation of methyl-tert-butyl ether, in which the latter is taken off as still product and, from top part of column, nonreacted hydrocarbons are withdrawn and partly returned to water-washing column. They are introduced into this column by two plates lower of site where reaction products are entered in amount inversely proportional to water/reaction products ratio. Aqueous methanol is directed into dimethyldioxane production process. EFFECT: enhanced efficiency of process.