Process for the preparation of alkyl tert-alkyl ethers

A process for the preparation of methyl tert-butyl ether which comprises reacting in vapor phase at a temperature between 170.degree.-220.degree. F. methanol with isobutylene in the presence of a ZSM-5 or ZSM-11 acidic zeolite catalyst, said methanol being present in excess of that needed for reaction purposes, to form the reaction product methyl tert-butyl ether in admixture with unreacted methanol and contacting the admixture with a zeolite acting as a sorbent and capable of selectively sorbing said methanol and recovering the substantially methanol-free reaction product.

A process for the preparation of methyl-tert-butyl ether which comprises reacting methanol with isobutylene under a pressure sufficient to maintain liquid phase conditions in the presence of a ZSM-5 or ZSM-11 acidic zeolite catalyst characterized by having a constraint index of from about 1 to 12 and a silica/alumina ratio of at least about 5, and thereafter recovering methyl-tert-butyl ether.