Integrated process for producing diisopropyl ether and an isopropyl tertiary alkyl ether

摘要

A highly integrated process for concurrently producing diisopropyl ether and an isopropyl tertiary alkyl ether has been developed. In a first reactor, propylene and water are reacted to form isopropyl alcohol, a portion of which is further reacted to form diisopropyl ether. After removing unreacted propylene, the effluent of the first reactor is separated into an ether rich stream, a water rich stream and an alcohol rich stream. The alcohol rich stream and isobutylene, isoamylene or a mixture thereof are reacted to form an isopropyl tertiary alkyl ether in a second reactor. The water present in the alcohol rich stream also reacts with the iso-olefin to form tertiary alcohol. The effluent from the second reactor is water washed to produce an oxygenate product stream and an aqueous alcohol recycle stream. Some tertiary alcohol is recycled to the first reactor where it is reacted with propylene to form additional isopropyl tertiary alkyl ether. The isopropyl tertiary alkyl ether and some tertiary alcohol is collected along with the diisopropyl ether in the mixed oxygenate product stream from the water wash.