Patent ID: 8440864

Claim:
A process for producing sec-butylbenzene, the process comprising: (a) contacting a C 4 olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock comprising isobutene and at least one n-butene with methanol and/or water in the presence of an acid catalyst and under conditions effective to selectively oxygenate isobutene and produce a first effluent containing less isobutene than the feedstock; (b) separating said first effluent into a first heavy fraction rich in oxygenated isobutene and a first light fraction rich in said at least one n-butene and said isobutene; (c) contacting said first light fraction with additional methanol and/or water in the presence of an acid catalyst and under conditions effective to selectively oxygenate isobutene and produce a second effluent containing less isobutene than the first light fraction; (d) separating said second effluent into a second heavy fraction rich in oxygenated isobutene and a second light fraction rich in said at least one n-butene and said isobutene; and (e) contacting said second light fraction with benzene under alkylation conditions and in the presence of an alkylation catalyst to produce a third effluent comprising sec-butylbenzene.