Process for making a high octane fuel component

A process for converting Udex raffinate to a high octane fuel component having a blending value octane number of at least about 100 by mild, liquid phase oxidation with a metal oxidation catalyst at a temperature between about 120.degree. and about 160.degree. C. and at about 200 to about 500 psig pressure to a product of moderate to low acidity, distilling off a neutral oxidate, esterifying the residue from said distillation with methanol to a neutral product and combining the neutral oxidate and the esterified product.

A fuel component having a blending value octane number of at least about 100 obtained by the liquid phase oxidation of Udex raffinate at a temperature between about 120.degree. and about 160.degree. C. at about 200 to about 1000 psig pressure to a product of low acidity, distilling off a neutral oxidate, esterifying the residue of said distillation with methanol to a neutral product and combining the neutral oxidate and the esterified product.

A motor fuel comprising gasoline and an octane increasing amount of an octane increasing component having a blending value octane number of at least about 100 obtained by the liquid phase oxidation of a mixture of substantially aromatics-free branched and straight-chain C.sub.5 -C.sub.9 hydrocarbons at a temperature between about 120.degree. and about 160.degree. C. at about 200 to about 1000 psig pressure to a product of low acidity, distilling off a neutral oxidate, esterifying the residue of said distillation with a lower alkanol to a neutral product and combining the neutral oxidate and the esterified product.

A motor fuel comprising gasoline and an octane increasing amount of an octane increasing component having a blending value octane number of at least about 100 obtained by the liquid phase oxidation of Udex raffinate at a temperature between about 120.degree. and about 160.degree. C. at about 200 to about 1000 psig pressure to a product of low acidity, distilling off a neutral oxidate, esterifying the residue of said distillation with methanol to a neutral product and combining the neutral oxidate and the esterified product.

A process for converting Udex raffinate to a high octane fuel component having a blending value octane number of at least about 100 and volatility in the range of gasoline by mild, liquid phase oxidation with a metal oxidation catalyst at a temperature between about 120.degree. and about 160.degree. C. and at about 200 to about 500 psig pressure to a product of moderate to low acidity, thereafter (a) distilling off a neutral oxidate (b) esterifying the residue from said distillation by a reactive distillation to give low molecular weight methyl esters which are distilled off as a light product, (c) distilling the residue from said reactive distillation to obtain a heavy oxidate product, combining the products obtained by said steps a, b, and c to obtain said high octane fuel component.