Arco Chemical Technology, L.p.

William J Piel

Anne Mae Gaffney

John J Leonard

Gordon A Sullivan

Herry E Eilerts-de Haan

The present invention provides a novel integration of an existing MTBE process unit with new propylene oxide producing facilities whereby through this integration new propylene oxide production is achieved without significant increase in MTBE production.

Integrated production of propylene oxide and methyl T-butyl ether

A low value C.sub.5 feedstock is efficiently upgraded by a series of process steps involving reacting branched tertiary olefins in the feed and from subsequent isomerization with methanol and/or water to form TAME and/or TAA, separating isopentene by distillation from the reaction mixture, separating product TAME and/or TAA by distillation from linear C.sub.5 hydrocarbons, and converting the linear C.sub.5 hydrocarbons by skeletal isomerization to branched C.sub.5 hydrocarbons which are recycled to said reaction with methanol and/or water.

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Media, PA, United States of America

William J Piel