METHOD OF PRODUCING ALKYL-TERT-ALKYL ETHERS Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC C07C43/04 C07C41/06 

FIELD: chemistry.

SUBSTANCE: present invention relates to a method of producing alkyl-tert-alkyl ethers or mixtures thereof, which can be used as gasoline high-octane additives. The method involves bringing mixtures of C₄ hydrocarbons, which contain isobutene and C₄ alcohol(s), into contact with heterogeneous acid catalysts in successive direct-flow reaction zones at temperature 30-110°C, which is lower in reaction zones after the first, with subsequent separation of the reaction mixture in a fractionation system and obtaining a stream containing a spent fraction of C₄ hydrocarbons as distillate and an end product in form of a bottom stream. The process is carried out at pressure 0.5-2.5 MPa, which ensures the components are in liquid phase, molar ratio of reactants at the input of the first reaction zone C₄ alcohol: isobutylene equal to (0.9-1.05):1.0 and volume rate of feeding material less than 2.5 h^-1 (2.5-10 h^-1), the end product primarily contains alkyl-tert-alkyl ether(s), the distillate of the fractionation system does not contain C₄ alcohol(s) and alkyl-tert-alkyl ether(s).

EFFECT: method increases rate of etherification reaction, enables to carry out the process selectively and increases output of alkyl-tert-butyl ethers and/or mixtures thereof, and also reduces power consumption when extracting the spent C₄ fraction.

3 cl, 9 ex, 2 tbl, 1 dwg