Study On The Zeolite Beta For Synthesis Of Mtbe

Methyl tert-Butyl Ether(MTBE) is non-toxic and non-polluting gasoline additive to increase the octane number. The reaction for obtaining MTBE could also be of interest as a means of quantitative separation of isobutene from the mixture of C₄ hydrocarbons. Since installing the first equipment with capacity of 10⁶ tons/year in 1973 by Italy, the production of MTBE has grown rapidly in the world. The worldwide production of MTBE is currently increasing faster than that of most other commodity chemicals.MTBE can be formed by addition of methanol to the double bond of isobutene. The key reaction and possible side reaction are reversible and exothermic, therefore, it depends on the activity and selectivity of catalysts to improve reaction rate and to control backward reaction. Nowadays numbers of manufactures have used an strong acidic macroreticular ion exchange resin, such as Amberlyst-15, as the catalyst. The industrial production of MTBE is carried out in liquid phase at temperatures of the order of 50⁷0℃, pressures between 1.0and 1.5MPa, methanol/isobutene molar ratios higher than 1, and conversion of IB above 90%. Although it has excellent catalytic activity, the resin catalyst is unstable at higher temperature, is corrosive and can have selectivity problems. Therefore, there exists a need for developing a stable alternative catalyst for synthesis of MTBE.