Process for purifying ethers

In a process for preparing an ether by reacting an excess of a C.sub.1 -C.sub.2 alkanol with an isoolefin containing 4 or 5 carbon atoms to form a reactor effluent comprising a mixture of (1) an ether corresponding to the formula R--O--R', wherein R is a methyl or ethyl group and R' is a t-butyl or t-amyl group, (2) unreacted alkanol, and (3) unreacted hydrocarbon, the improvement which comprises:

• (A) alternately passing effluent from the reactor through first and second absorption vessels, each containing a fixed bed of solid calcium chloride, to complex the unreacted alkanol with the calcium chloride while the ether and unreacted hydrocarbon pass through the vessel,
• (B) while one absorption vessel is being used to complex unreacted alkanol, regenerating the other absorption vessel by passing a liquid C.sub.4 or C.sub.5 hydrocarbon feed comprising an isoolefin therethrough at a temperature of about 80.degree.-120.degree. C. to desorb the alkanol and provide a desorption effluent of liquid C.sub.4 or C.sub.5 hydrocarbon feed and alkanol, and
• (C) feeding the desorption effluent to the reactor.