Method of separating isobutylene from a C-4 hydrocarbon fraction using a heteropoly acid on an inert support

Abstract

Disclosed is a two-step method for separating isobutylene from a C-4 hydrocarbon fraction comprising: a) Reacting the C-4 fraction with a glycol in the presence of a catalyst comprising heteropoly acid on an inert support at a temperature of about 60.degree. to 160.degree. C. to yield the corresponding glycol mono-t-butyl ether, and subsequently b) reacting the intermediate glycol ether product over the same class of catalyst at a temperature of about 100.degree. to 220.degree. C. to regenerate the isolatable isobutylene.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.