摘要 |
Methyl tert-butyl ether is prepared, and a stream of hydrocarbons containing isobutylene is freed therefrom, by reacting the isobutylene with methanol in a two stage process wherein, in the first stage, a stream of hydrocarbons containing isobutylene and methanol is fed to a primary reaction zone where the isobutylene and methanol partially react in the temperature range of from 50 DEG to 90 DEG C and at a pressure of from 10 to 30 atmospheres in the presence of a catalyst to form methyl tert-butyl ether which is separated by distillation from the residue of isobutylene and methanol and all other hydrocarbons in the feed stream, and, in a second stage, the residue of isobutylene and methanol and other hydrocarbons is fed to a secondary reaction zone where the residue of isobutylene and methanol react in the vapor phase, at a temperature in the range of 60 DEG to 100 DEG C and a pressure of from 15 to 40 atmospheres in the presence of a catalyst consisting of an acid ion exchange resin, to form the balance of methyl tert-butyl ether which is recovered by distillation to leave a balance of other hydrocarbons practically free from isobutylene. |