INFLUENCE OF RESIN TYPE AND WATER ON THE KINETICS OF THE DECOMPOSITION OF METHYL TERT-BUTYL ETHER IN THE GAS-PHASE

The rate of decomposition of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in the gas phase catalysed by macroporous poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) was measured with a packed-bed flow reactor operated at 1 atm and 50.5°C. Rates were obtained for several commercial macroporous resins with different degrees of cross-linking [8, 12, and 18% divinylbenzene (DVB)] and water contents in the feed to the reactor (0.1-0.74 wt.%). The results show that the presence of water causes a very strong decrease in the rate of decomposition of MTBE. This effect is greatest for the exchanger containing 18% DVB. The adsorption equilibrium constants of water found in the literature agree fairly well with those obtained in this work (123-170 atm-1).