Process for the hydrolysis of glycol dialkyl ether to a monoalkyl ether and tertiary alcohol or tertiary olefin

摘要

A process is described for converting glycol dialkyl ether without substantial formation of olefin oligomers by reaction with water, comprising reacting a feed glycol di-tertiary alkyl ether represented by structural formula (A) with water using a strongly acidic cation-exchange resin as a catalyst and a reaction temperature of from 40 DEG C. to 150 DEG C. under a pressure of from 1 to 70 kg/cm2 (absolute pressure) in a molar ratio of water/feed glycol di-tertiary alkyl ether represented by the structural formula (A) of from 0.05/1 to 60/1, to convert the ether of formula (A) into at least one of (1) glycol mono-tertiary alkyl ether represented by the structural formula (B) and tertiary alcohol represented by the structural formula (C), or (2) glycol mono-tertiary alkyl ether represented by the structural formula (B) tertiary alcohol represented by the structural formula (C) and tertiary olefin represented by the structural formula (D); wherein (A), (B), (C), and (D) are as follows: IMAGE (A) IMAGE (B) IMAGE (C) IMAGE (D) wherein R1 represents a methyl group, an ethyl group, or a propyl group, n represents an integer of from 1 to 10, and R2 represents an alkylene group having from 2 to 14 carbon atoms, and the total number of carbon atoms in the group -(R2-O)n- is from 2 to 30.