Production of isobutene from methyl tertiary butyl ether
AssigneePetro-Tex Chemical Corporation
InventorsDonald A. Keyworth, Cecil G. McFarland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
MTBE can be dissociated with high selectivity to isobutene and methanol over acid action exchange resin catalysts using very high LHSV, e.g. of 7 to 35 at pressure drops of 0.5 to 50 psig through the fixed bed at reaction pressure of 0.5 to 4 atmospheres and bed temperatures in a fixed bed tubular-reactor in the range of 90.degree. C. to 160.degree. C. Good conversions are obtained and undissociated MTBE and by-products of the dissociation may be recycled to a liquid phase MTBE synthesis.
Claims22
A process for producing high purity isobutene by the dissociation of MTBE comprising contacting a stream in vapor phase and containing MTBE with a microreticular acid cation exchange resin in a fixed bed, the inlet temperature of the vapor phase being in the range of 110.degree. C. to 150.degree. C. and the temperature in said fixed bed being in the range of 90.degree. C. to 160.degree. C., said stream having an LHSV in the range of 7 to 35, thereby dissociating a portion of said MTBE into methanol and isobutene.
A process for producing high purity isobutene from a C.sub.4 hydrocarbon stream containing isobutene comprising contacting said C.sub.4 hydrocarbon stream and methanol in liquid phase with a macroreticular acid cation exchange resin in a first fixed bed reactor,
- reacting said isobutene and methanol preferentially to produce MTBE,
- removing a product stream containing MTBE from the reactor,
- recovering an MTBE stream from said product stream,
- feeding a portion of said MTBE stream in vapor phase at an inlet temperature in the range of 110.degree. C. to 150.degree. C. to a second fixed bed reactor containing a macroreticular acid cation exchange resin, the temperature in said fixed bed being in the range of 90.degree. C. to 160.degree. C., said MTBE stream having an LHSV in the range of 7 to 35,
- dissociating a portion of said MTBE into methanol and isobutene, and
- recyclying the undissociated MTBE to said first reactor.
A process for producing high purity isobutene by the dissociation of MTBE comprising contacting a stream in vapor phase and containing at least 95% wt. MTBE with a microreticular acid cation exchange resin in a fixed bed, the inlet temperature of the vapor phase being in the range of 115.degree. C. to 145.degree. C. and the temperature in said fixed bed being in the range of 120.degree. C. to 150.degree. C., said stream having an LHSV in the range of 14 to 25, thereby dissociating a portion of said MTBE into methanol and isobutene.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.