Patent ID: 6242661
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
A process for the separation of normal butenes from isobutene contained in a mixed C.sub.4 stream comprising the steps of:(a) feeding (1) a mixed C.sub.4 stream containing butene-1, butene-2, and isobutene and (2) hydrogen to a distillation column reactor containing a bed of alumina supported PdO catalyst;(b) concurrently in said distillation column reactor(i) contacting said butene-1 and said hydrogen with said bed to isomrize said butene-1 to butene-2 and(ii) separating said butene-2 from said isobutene by fractional distillation in said bed;(c) removing isobutene containing proportionally less butene-1 than contained in said C.sub.4 stream from said distillation column reactor as overheads; and(d) removing butene-2 from said distillation column reactor as bottoms.