| abstract |
A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING HIGH-OCTANE LEAD-FREE OR LOWLEAD CONTENT GASOLINE WHICH COMPRISES: (A) OXIDIZING ISOBUTANE IN AN OXIDATION ZONE BY CONTACTING THE ISOBUTANE IN LIQUID PHASE WITH GASEOUS OXYGEN, AND RECYCLED METHYL ESTER, AND AN ADDED HOMOGENOUS CATALYST IN AN ORGANIC ACID SOLVENT, TO OBTAIN A PRODUCT COMPRISING A MIXTURE OF T-BUTYL ALCOHOL, ACETONE, METHANOL, AND METHYL ESTER; (A) PASSING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE MIXTURE TO A HYDROGENATION ZONE AND HYDROGENATING THE ACETONE TO OBTAIN A MIXTURE COMPRISING T-BUTYL ALCOHOL, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, METHANOL, AND METHYL ESTER; (C) SEPARATING AT LEAST METHYL ESTER FROM THE T-BUTYL ALCOHOL, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, AND METHANOL; (D) RECYCLING THE METHYL ESTER TO THE OXIDATION ZONE. |