Diisobutylene process
View Patent ↗This invention is a process for producing diisobutylene from isobutylene. The process comprises first forming dry sulfonic acid resin by contacting water wet sulfonic acid resin catalyst with a first reaction feed comprising isobutylene under conditions effective to produce tertiary butyl alcohol from the reaction of isobutylene and water, and then contacting the dry sulfonic acid resin with a second reaction feed comprising isobutylene under conditions effective to oligomerize isobutylene to produce diisobutylene.
1. A process comprising:
(a) contacting a wet sulfonic acid resin catalyst with a first reaction feed comprising isobutylene under conditions effective to produce tertiary butyl alcohol, wherein a dry sulfonic acid resin catalyst is produced; and
(b) contacting the dry sulfonic acid resin catalyst with a second reaction feed comprising isobutylene under conditions effective to oligomerize isobutylene to produce diisobutylene.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein the wet sulfonic acid resin catalyst is contacted with the first reaction feed at a temperature of 35° C. to 100° C.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the dry sulfonic acid resin catalyst is contacted with the second reaction feed at a temperature of 50° C. to 200° C.
4. The process of claim 1 wherein the isobutylene of the first reaction feed is produced by the dehydration of tertiary butyl alcohol.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein the isobutylene of the second reaction feed is produced by the dehydration of tertiary butyl alcohol.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein the first reaction feed additionally comprises at least 0.2 weight percent tertiary butyl alcohol.
7. The process of claim 6 wherein the first reaction feed contains 1 to 10 weight percent tertiary butyl alcohol.
8. The process of claim 1 wherein the first reaction feed additionally comprises a C 3 -C 10 alkane.
9. The process of claim 8 wherein the C 3 -C 10 alkane is isooctane.
10. The process of claim 1 wherein the second reaction feed additionally comprises at least 0.2 weight percent tertiary butyl alcohol.
11. The process of claim 10 wherein the second reaction feed contains 1 to 10 weight percent tertiary butyl alcohol.
12. The process of claim 1 wherein the second reaction feed additionally comprises a C 3 -C 10 alkane.
13. The process of claim 12 wherein the C 3 -C 10 alkane is isooctane.
14. The process of claim 1 , further comprising hydrogenating the diisobutylene in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to form isooctane.
15. The process of claim 14 wherein the hydrogenation catalyst is a supported nickel catalyst.