Process for the production of ethyl tert.-alkyl ethers

摘要

The present invention is a cyclic process for the preparation of ethyl tert.-alkyl ethers by the reaction of an alcohol, ethanol, with an iso-olefin such as isobutylene or isoamylene wherein an effluent from the reaction zone is separated in a distillation column to provide an overhead effluent stream and a bottoms effluent stream comprising ethyl tert.-alkyl ether and unreacted ethanol. The unreacted ethanol is recovered in an adsorption zone comprising a selective adsorbent selected from the group consisting of zeolite 13X, sodium zeolite Y, alumina, silicalite and mixtures thereof. The invention is useful in recovering unreacted ethanol from the bottoms effluent stream and returning the unreacted ethanol to the reaction zone. The invention reduces the cost of this separation which is complicated by the formation of an azeotrope between the unreacted alcohol and the ether.