Patent ID: 7825282
Filing Date: 2010-11-02
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
1. A process for the conversion of tertiary butyl alcohol to ethyl tertiary butyl ether, the process comprising: feeding a hydrocarbon stream comprising tertiary butyl alcohol to a dehydration reactor; contacting the tertiary butyl alcohol with a dehydration catalyst in the dehydration reactor to dehydrate at least a portion of the tertiary butyl alcohol to form a first reaction product comprising water and isobutylene; separating the first reaction product to form a water-rich phase and an isobutylene-rich phase; treating the water-rich phase to recover residual hydrocarbons and to produce a water-rich phase of reduced hydrocarbon content; feeding the isobutylene and ethanol to a down flow boiling point etherification reactor; passing the isobutylene and the ethanol over an etherification catalyst in the down flow boiling point etherification reactor to react at least a portion of the isobutylene and ethanol to form a vapor/liquid reaction product comprising ethyl tertiary butyl ether; operating the down flow boiling point etherification reactor at a boiling point of the isobutylene, ethanol, and ethyl tertiary butyl ether mixture; recycling at least a portion of the vapor/liquid reaction product to the etherification reactor; separating at least a portion of the vapor/liquid reaction product to form an ethanol-rich phase and ethyl tertiary butyl ether; feeding the ethanol-rich phase to the down flow boiling point etherification reactor.