Process for concurrent selective hydrogenation of acetylenes and 1,2 butadine in hydrocarbon streams

A process for the removal of acetylenes and 1,2-butadiene from C.sub.4 aliphatic hydrocarbon streams comprising:

• (a) feeding hydrogen and a C.sub.4 hydrocarbon stream comprising 1,2-butadiene and acetylenes to a distillation column reactor containing a bed of hydrogenation catalyst selected from platinum, palladium, rhodium or mixtures thereof;
• (b) concurrently in said distillation column reactor;
• (1) contacting said hydrocarbon stream and hydrogen in the presence of said hydrogenation catalyst under hydrogenation conditions to selectively hydrogenate a portion of the acetylenes and the 1,2-butadiene to form a reaction mixture, and
• (2) fractionally distilling the reaction mixture to remove a heavier fraction and removing a fraction overhead comprising substantially all of the C.sub.4 compounds having reduced acetylenes and 1,2-butadiene content.