Patent ID: 8669407

Claim:
A method of recovering linear butenes from a mixed feed comprising: converting an isobutene-to-methyl-t-butylether reactor into a first oligomerization reactor; subjecting a first mixed feed to a process to remove polar molecules or molecules containing polar moieties; providing the first mixed feed comprising linear butenes and isobutene to the first oligomerization reactor; contacting the first mixed feed with an oligomerization catalyst that comprises one or more of MWW family zeolites, and mixtures thereof in the first oligomerization reactor at a temperature in the range of 40 to 105° C. and a space velocity in the range of 2 ml feed/ml catalyst/hour to 12 ml feed/ml catalyst/hour to produce a second mixed feed comprising the linear butenes, C 8 olefins and higher oligomers, and a reduced amount of isobutene relative to the first mixed feed; and separating the second mixed feed to produce a first effluent of first purified linear butenes, and a second effluent of C 8 olefins and higher oligomers; wherein the weight ratio of 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene to 2,4,4-trimethyl-2-pentene in the second effluent decreases within the range from 12.0 to 3.0 when (i) the contacting temperature within the first oligomerization reactor increases within the range from 50° C. to 105° C., (ii) the space velocity decreases within the range from 12 ml feed/ml catalyst/hour to 2 ml feed/ml catalyst/hour, or (iii) both.