Petro-Tex Chemical Corporation

William P Stadig

William G Bowman

An improved process for the preparation of isobutene dimer comprising passing isobutene and a controlled amount of t-butanol and/or water (water reacts with isobutene under the conditions of the reaction to form t-butanol) through a fixed bed acidic cation exchange resin, producing only a hydrocarbon phase, removing the hydrocarbon phase, splitting the hydrocarbon phase, and recycling a portion thereof to the reaction. The recycle provides the means to control the temperature of the reaction by cooling the recycle and providing a heat sink. The controlled amount of t-butanol and/or water suppresses or inhibits the production of isobutene high polymers, e.g., trimers, tetramers and codimers (butene is also a common component of available C.sub.4 feed streams).

Dimerization of isobutene

An improved process for the preparation of tertiary butyl alcohol comprising passing isobutene and water in a molar ratio of water to isobutene in the range of 0.06 to 0.24 : 1 or preferably less than 0.2 : 1 through a fixed bed acidic cation exchange resin, producing only a hydrocarbon phase, removing the hydrocarbon phase, splitting the hydrocarbon phase, and recycling a portion thereof to the reaction. The recycle provides the means to control the temperature of the reaction by cooling the recycle, and suppresses or inhibits the production of isobutene polymers.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

William P Stadig