Separating branched from unbranched alkenes by

摘要

Unbranched and branched alkenes are separated by bringing a mixture of these alkenes into contact with a dimerisation catalyst, consisting of a transition metal and/or a compound of a transition metal on a carrier; the branched alkene is dimerised under these conditions, and the dimer can be separated from unchanged unbranched alkene. The method is of especial use in separating isobutene from unbranched alkenes, such as butene-1 and/or -2; such mixtures are formed in cracking processes. The isobutene dimer is useful in the production of benzine and as an intermediate, the residual unbranched alkene can be dimerised or disproportionated to C6-8 alkenes which are raw materials for the preparation of softener alcohols by the OXO process.