Process for the synthesis of hydrocarbon constituents of gasoline

1. A process for the synthesis of hydrocarbon constituents of gasoline, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a synthesis gas in an oxygenate reactor:

(b) converting the synthesis gas in an oxygenate synthesis step, in the presence of an oxygenate synthesis catalyst, to an oxygenate-containing feed comprising methanol and/or dimethyl ether, and further comprising a C3+ higher alcohol mixture in the amount of 5-15 wt % on a total oxygenate basis of the oxygenate-containing feed;

wherein the oxygenate synthesis catalyst is selected from the group consisting of ZnO/Cr 2 O 3 , Cu/ZnO, transition metal sulfides, Cu-containing oxide complexes, ZnO/ZrO 2 promoted with a redox oxide and a strong base, Pd and Cu on zirconia, Pd and Cu on rare earth oxides, and mixtures thereof;

(c) converting the oxygenate-containing feed, in the presence of gasoline synthesis catalyst, to hydrocarbon constituents of gasoline; and

(d) cooling the oxygenate-containing feed by indirect heat exchange with boiling water inside the gasoline reactor during the gasoline synthesis.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the oxygenate synthesis step comprises at least one additional reactor being in series or parallel with the oxygenate synthesis step.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the C3+ higher alcohol mixture optionally comprises oxygenates selected from the group of consisting of aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids, and alkyl esters thereof.

4. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the oxygenate-containing feed further comprises ethanol and water.

5. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the oxygenate-containing feed further comprises raw, aqueous ethanol produced from renewables.

6. The process according to claim 2 , further comprising:

separating the oxygenate-containing feed into an oxygenate-rich liquid fraction containing methanol and the C3+ higher alcohol mixture and an oxygenate-lean gas fraction comprising unconverted synthesis gas, and

converting the oxygenate-rich fraction to the effluent comprising the hydrocarbon constituents of gasoline.

7. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the oxygenate synthesis catalyst comprises alumina, silica-alumina, and/or zeolite and further comprises Cu and/or ZnO.

8. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the synthesis gas is subjected to an acid gas removal step before conversion to the oxygenate-containing feed.

9. The process according to claim 2 , further comprising:

separating the effluent to obtain a main portion comprising the hydrocarbon components and water and further obtaining from the effluent a balance stream comprising unconverted synthesis gas wherein the balance stream is recycled to the oxygenate synthesis step and/or the gasoline synthesis step.

10. The process according to claim 2 , comprising bypassing a fraction of the synthesis gas from at least one of the oxygenate synthesis steps.

11. The process according to claim 2 , wherein water is added to at least one of the oxygenate synthesis steps.

12. A process for the synthesis of hydrocarbon constituents of gasoline comprising:

(a) directing an oxygenate-containing feed to a gasoline reactor, wherein the oxygenate-containing feed comprises methanol and/or dimethyl ether and further comprises a C3+ higher alcohol mixture in the amount of 5-15 wt % on a total oxygenate basis of the oxygenate-containing feed;

(b) converting the oxygenate-containing feed, in the presence of a gasoline synthesis catalyst, to an effluent comprising hydrocarbon constituents of gasoline; and

(c) cooling the oxygenate-containing feed by indirect heat exchange with boiling water inside the gasoline reactor during the gasoline synthesis,

wherein the oxygenate-containing feed is produced in the presence of an oxygenate synthesis catalyst selected from the group consisting of ZnO/Cr 2 O 3 , Cu/ZnO, transition metal sulfides, Cu-containing oxide complexes, ZnO/ZnO 2 promoted with a redox oxide and a strong base, Pd and Cu on zirconia, Pd and Cu on rare earth oxides, and mixtures thereof.