Patent ID: 7910786
Filing Date: 2011-03-22
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
1. A process for the dissociation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), comprising: a) separating an MTBE-containing stream I by distillation into an MTBE-containing overhead stream II and a bottom stream III which comprises compounds having boiling points higher than that of MTBE; b) dissociation of the MTBE present in the overhead stream II over a catalyst to give a dissociation product IV; c) separating the dissociation product IV by distillation into an isobutene-containing overhead stream V and a bottom stream VI comprising unreacted MTBE; and d) separating off methanol from the isobutene-containing overhead stream V obtained in process step c) by extraction wherein dimethyl ether and water are separated off by distillation from the extracted isobutene; wherein the stream I has a proportion of 2-methoxybutane (MSBE) of greater than 1000 ppm by mass, based on MTBE, and wherein the separation by distillation in step a) and/or the dissociation in step b) is carried out so that the dissociation product IV has a concentration of less than 1000 ppm by mass of linear butenes, based on a C