Process for the production of ethers

A process for the production of an ether optionally with a diol and/or a lactone, by reaction of a corresponding organic feed material selected from mono C1 to C4 alkyl esters of C4 to C12 unsaturated dicarboxylic acids and/or anhydrides, di-(C1 to C4) alkyl esters of C4 to C12 unsaturated dicarboxylic acids and/or anhydrides, lactones of C4 to C12 unsaturated hydroxycarboxylic acids, and mixtures of two or more thereof in the presence of hydrogen which comprises the steps of:

• (a) supplying a stream comprising at least a portion of the organic feed material to a pre-reactor zone comprising catalyst and contacting said feed with a hydrogen containing stream in the pre-reactor zone such that at least some of the carbon carbon double bonds are saturated, wherein the at least partial carbon double bond saturation occurs in a liquid phase in the pre-reactor zone;
• (b) vaporising the at least partly saturated feed into the hydrogen containing stream in a vaporising zone;
• (c) supplying the hydrogen-containing stream containing the vaporised at least partially saturated feed to a reaction zone comprising catalyst;
• (d) recovering from the reaction zone a product stream comprising the ether and optionally diol and/or lactone;
• and
• (e) recycling a depleted hydrogen-containing stream to at least the pre-reactor zone or the vaporisation zone.