| abstract |
A process for preparing an ether compound, the process comprising: (a) contacting an olefin with an alcohol in the presence of an etherification catalyst, under etherification conditions, to form an ether compound; (b) recovering the ether compound, unreacted alcohol and unconsumed olefin; and (c) using at least a portion of the unconsumed olefin of step (b) in an etherification process conducted according to step (a), wherein the alcohol is linear or branched alcohol alkyl containing one or two alcohol groups, and further substituted with 1, 2, or 3 activating groups independently selected from CN, NO 2 , F, Cl, Br, I, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, and -C(O)O-alkyl. |