METHOD OF PRODUCING TERT-BUTANOL AND C-C-ALKYL-TERT-BUTYL ETHERS Russian patent published in 1998 - IPC

FIELD: industrial organic synthesis. SUBSTANCE: tert-butanol and C₁-C₅-alkyl-tert-butyl ethers are produced by way of consecutively bringing isobutylene-containing hydrocarbon mixture in contact with water and alcohol in presence of acidic heterogeneous catalysts in vertical apparatus. Hydrocarbon mixture and water are fed into apparatus, amount of water being such as to replenish its consumption on reaction with isobutylene and entrainment by hydrocarbon extract. Tert-butanol is extracted by non-reacted hydrocarbons, which are then distilled off in column apparatus. Tert-butanol is optionally subjected to heteroazeotropic drying. Distilled off hydrocarbons are brought in contact with a non- tertiary alcohol or alcohol mixture in presence of catalysts and then distilled off from produced ether or ether mixture, or ether- alcohol mixture. Conversion of isobutylene in contact with water is maintained at the level from 40 to 70% by controlling hydrocarbon mixture flow within the range from 0.5 to 10 l/l h and temperature from 70 to 130 C. From vertical apparatus, above catalyst zone, liquid stream is withdrawn containing mainly water and tert-butanol, which is cooled and recycled to the apparatus inlet. EFFECT: enhanced process efficiency. 4 cl, 1 dwg