MTBE

MTBE Methyltert-butyl ether. Used as a gasoline additive. 

These are carbon monoxide, CO, unburned hydrocarbons (HC), and the nitrogen oxides, NO. In the U.S.A., a program called Auto/Oil (Burns et al., 1992), conducted by automotive manufacturers and petroleum companies, examined the effect of overall parameters of fuel composition on evaporative emissions and in the exhaust gases. The variables examined were the aromatics content between 20 and 45%, the olefins content between 5 and 20%, the MTBE content between 0 and 15% and finally the distillation end point between 138 and 182°C (more exactly, the 95% distilled point). 

MTBE-ETBE (methyl- or ethyl-tertiary butyl ether)... 

Typical feedstock composition and product properties for the synthesis of MTBE-ETBE. 

Liquefied gas fractions (propane, propylene, butanes, butenes) that will be able to provide feedstocks to units of MTBE, ETBE, alkylation, dimerization, polymerization after sweetening and/or selective hydrogenation. 

Acid catalyzed addition of alcohols to alkenes is sometimes used Indeed before Its use as a gasoline additive was curtailed billions of pounds of tert butyl methyl ether (MTBE) was prepared by the reaction... 

Small amounts of tert butyl methyl ether increase the octane rating of gasoline Before environmental concerns placed limits on its use the demand for MTBE exceeded the supply... 

Fig. 14. UOP raffinate process treatment process. MTBE = methyl tert-huty ether.

A. Benchikha and D. R. Gaig, "The C4 Raffinate Tieatment Piocess Methanol Recoveiy/Oxygenate Removal," Piesentation at HUELS MTBE Symposium in Mad, West Geimany, Sept. 6, 1988. 

Isobutyl alcohol [78-83-1] forms a substantial fraction of the butanols produced by higher alcohol synthesis over modified copper—zinc oxide-based catalysts. Conceivably, separation of this alcohol and dehydration affords an alternative route to isobutjiene [115-11 -7] for methyl /-butyl ether [1624-04-4] (MTBE) production. MTBE is a rapidly growing constituent of reformulated gasoline, but its growth is likely to be limited by available suppHes of isobutylene. Thus higher alcohol synthesis provides a process capable of supplying all of the raw materials required for manufacture of this key fuel oxygenate (24) (see Ethers). 

Isomeri2ation of straight-chain hydrocarbons is of particular importance for lead-free gasoline. Addition of high octane aromatic hydrocarbons or olefins is questionable based on environmental considerations (77). An efficient octane enhancing additive is methyl tert-huty ether (MTBE). 

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