Process for the production of tertiary alkyl ether rich FCC gasoline

Abstract

A process is disclosed for the production of alkyl tertiary alkyl ethers in C.sub.4 + hydrocarbon streams rich in isoolefins, typically containing catalyst deactivating amounts of dienes and/or compounds containing heteroatoms. The process is especially advantageous in extending the cycle length for the zeolite catalyzed etherification of isoolefins in C.sub.4 + FCC gasoline by reducing catalyst aging. It has been discovered that if hydrogen is cofed with the alkanol and C.sub.4 + isoolefin rich feedstreams to an etherification reaction catalyzed by acidic zeolite wherein the zeolite has been impregnated with a noble metal the rate of catalyst aging or deactivation is substantially lowered. The process is especially effective, i.e., catalyst aging is particularly reduced, when hydrogen is cofed to an etherification reaction using acidic zeolite Beta catalyst containing palladium.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.