Patent ID: 6613108
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: C07C,C10G,C10L

Abstract:
A process for dimerizing olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock containing isobutene comprisingfeeding fresh olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock containing isobutene and oxygenate, wherein said oxygenate is water, to a reaction zone of a system including at least one reaction zone and at least one distillation zone, said at least one reaction zone comprising at least one reactor and said at least one distillation zone comprising at least one distillation column, contacting said olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock containing isobutene with an acidic ion exchange resin in said reaction zone in the presence of said oxygenate, under conditions in which at least part of the olefins dimerize and wherein said oxygenate reacts with the isobutene present in the feedstock to form tertiary butanol, conducting effluent comprising unreacted hydrocarbons, dimerized olefin product, oxygenate and tertiary butanol from said reaction zone to said distillation zone where said dimerized product is separated from said effluent, withdrawing at least one flow comprising oxygenate and tertiary butanol, which forms azeotropes with hydrocarbons present in said effluent, from the at least one distillation column and circulating said flow from said distillation zone back to the reaction zone, and recovering the dimerized product and optionally hydrogenating said dimerized product to form a parafinic dimerized product.