METHYL TERT-BUTYL ETHER PRODUCTION PROCESS

• Main Authors: NIKITIN V.M, MAGSUMOV I.A, ZHAVORONKOV A.P, ERKHOV A.V, SHCHERBAN' G.T, LI V.A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Russian
• Published: 20.03.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS; CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY; ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

FIELD: petrochemical synthesis. ^ SUBSTANCE: isobutylene-containing C4 fraction is brought into contact with methanol at elevated temperature in presence of H-form sulfocationite catalyst. Process comprises separation of mixture thus obtained into methyl tert-butyl ether and exhausted C4 fraction. As methanol, a mixture is used obtained from synthesis gas and methanol isolated by rectification from aqueous solutions of methanol washed off the C2-C5-hydrocarbon fractions of associated oil gases and petroleum processing gases as well as methanol washed off the exhausted C4 fraction originated from methyl tert-butyl ether production process. Synthesis of methyl tert-butyl ether is first effected in adiabatic layer of supported sulfocationite until conversion of isobutylene achieves 1.5-15.0% and then in isothermic layer of sulfocationite to complete the process. Dosed amounts (between 0.5 and 10 wt %) of methanol isolated by rectification from aqueous solutions of methanol washed off the C2-C5-hydrocarbon fractions are mixed with fresh methanol obtained by rectification of synthesis gas. ^ EFFECT: reduced consumption of methanol and isobutylene, and improved environmental condition. ^ 1 dwg, 3 ex