New methods for the preparation of high-octane components from catalytic cracking olefins

Abstract

A new method has been suggested for the preparation of high-octane components from the butane–butylene fraction (BBF) in two stages. At the first stage, the BBF olefins are oxidized with N2O into carbonyl compounds with high selectivity without forming the products of deep oxidation and water. The process occurs in the gas phase in a flow reactor without using a catalyst at a temperature of 400°C and a pressure of 2 MPa with high conversion of both olefins and nitrous oxide. The blending octane number of the oxidation product is 118–133 (RON) and 99–104 (MON). At the second stage, the mixture of carbonyl compounds is hydrogenated with hydrogen in the presence of the Ni/Al2O3 catalyst. The hydrogenation occurs at 150–160°C in a flow reactor in the gas phase. The aldehydes are completely transformed into alcohols, while the ketones can remain in the product under certain conditions. The blending octane number of the hydrogenation product is 111–112 (RON) and 95–96 (MON), which is smaller than for the BBF oxidation product, but larger than for the alkylate obtained in the course of conventional butene alkylation with isobutane (RON is 95–97 and MON is 93–95). Synthesis of high-octane components by this procedure can be useful in practice, especially in productions with huge release of nitrous oxide.