Process for isolating and recovering butene-1 of high purity

Abstract

A process for isolating and recovering butene-1 of high purity at a high yield is provided. The process comprises the steps of continuously passing a butane-butene fraction containing 0.1 to 15 wt % of isobutylene and 10 to 50 wt % of butene-1 through a first reactor packed with a strongly acidic cation exchange resin having an average particle size of from 0.2 to 10 mm at a temperature of from 30.degree. to 100.degree. C. and at a space velocity of liquid of from 0.1 to 50 hr.sup.-1 under a pressure of from 1 to 50 atm., dividing the output mixture flowing out of said first reactor into two flows at a division ratio in flow rate of 1.about.15:1, recirculating the first flow having the flow rate of 1.about.15 into said first reactor packed with said cation exchange resin, passing the second flow having the flow rate of 1 through a second reactor packed with a strongly acidic cation exchange resin under the conditions similar to those of the first reactor, distilling the output flow from said second reactor to separate the same into a heavy hydrocarbon fraction containing oligomers of isobutylene and a light hydrocarbon fraction containing butane and butene, and rectifying said light hydrocarbon fraction to isolate butene-1 from other C.sub.4 -hydrocarbons.