Process for recovering dipropylene glycol tert-butyl ethers

摘要

A process for making and purifying dipropylene glycol tert-butyl ethers (DPTB). DPTB is made by reacting dipropylene glycol with isobutylene in the presence of an acidic catalyst. Extractive distillation of the product mixture using a glycol extracting agent, preferably dipropylene glycol, allows removal of di-tert-butyl ether impurities as an overhead product. The DPTB product is then distilled to separate it from the glycol extracting agent. High-purity DPTB, substantially free of diethers and exceptionally useful as a solvent, is obtained from the process.