Thermodynamic Analysis of the Experimental Equilibria for the Liquid-Phase Etherification of Isobutene with C1 to C4 Linear Primary Alcohols

The chemical equilibrium of the liquid-phase syntheses of 2-methoxy-2-methylpropane (MTBE), 2-ethoxy2-methylpropane (ETBE), 2-methyl-2-propoxypropane (PTBE), and 1-tert-butoxybutane (BTBE) by reaction of isobutene with methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, and 1-butanol, respectively, has been studied. Four different ion exchange resins as the catalysts, and two different reactor systems, namely, a batch reactor and a setup of tubular reactors, were used. Temperature and pressure were in the range 313-383 K and 1.5-2.0 MPa, respectively. MTBE and ETBE synthesis reactions experiments were carried out mainly to validate the reliability of the reaction systems. Experiments in PTBE and BTBE etherifications allowed estimating thermodynamic properties for those reactions and involved species, namely, molar standard enthalpy and entropy changes of reaction and molar enthalpy change of formation of the four ethers. A comparison of estimated reaction thermodynamic values among the homologous series of linear alcohols, and with results quoted in the literature, when available, has been made.