Addition of Alcohols to Isobutylene

ADDITION OF ALCOHOLS TO ISOBUTYLENE (Methyl- and Ethyl-Ter-Butyl Ether) 

The reaction between isobutylene and methyl and ethyl alcohols is an addition reaction catalyzed by a heterogeneous sulfonated polystyrene resin. When methanol is used a 98% yield of methyl-ter-butyl ether MTBE is obtained  

The reaction conditions have been noted in Chapter 5. 

Ethyl-ter-butyl ether (ETBE) is also produced by the reaction of ethanol and isobutylene under similar conditions with a heterogeneous acidic ion-exchange resin catalyst (similar to that with MTBE)  

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