Patent ID: 8134039

Claim:
A process for the production of high-octane hydrocarbon compounds comprising a selective dimerization of isobutene comprised in a stream also comprising C 5 hydrocarbons, wherein: the selective dimerization is carried out with acid catalysts in two distinct steps wherein the first step consists of contacting the stream with one or more fixed bed reactors and the second step consists of catalytically distilling the stream; wherein the selective dimerization is carried out in the presence of one or more oxygenated products selected from a branched alcohol alone or in a blend with linear alcohols and alkyl ethers, wherein the branched alcohol forms an azeotropic mixture with the C 5 hydrocarbons, in such a quantity as to have in the feeding, in the case of the presence of a branched alcohol alone, a molar ratio of oxygenated product/isobutene higher than 0.005, in the case of the presence of a branched alcohol in a blend, a molar ratio of oxygenated product/isobutene higher than 0.01; and a C 5 /branched alcohol azeotropic separation step is carried out.