Process for cleaving alkyl tert.-alkyl ethers

US5095164A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• EC Erdolchemie GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Christian Gabel · Dormagen, DE
• Bernhard Schleppinghoff · Dormagen, DE
• Hans-Dieter Kohler · Dormagen, DE
• Hans-Volker Scheef · Dormagen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 7, 1991
• Grant date: Mar 10, 1992
• Expiry date: Mar 7, 2011

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/52
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Alkyl tert.-alkyl ethers can be cleaved into the underlying alkanols and tert.-olefins in the presence of strongly acidic substances in a column apparatus, the strongly acidic substance being made available at the foot of the column. A particularly advantageous process design results when a water stream is fed below the top column tray in countercurrent to the tert.-olefin flowing upwards and is taken off again from the column above the bottom circulation; in the case of using an insoluble, strongly acidic substance, the latter is located in a catalyst bed at the foot of the column, and the alkyl tert.-alkyl ether is preferably fed in between the catalyst bed and the bottom circulation evaporator.