A process for producing an ether including treating (a) an ester with (b) hydrogen in the presence of (c) a heterogeneous catalyst to reduce the ester by hydrogenation to form an ether product.

A process for dehydrating C.sub.2+ alcohols to ether products in the presence of a catalyst and promoter, wherein the catalyst is at least one aluminosilicate zeolite catalyst which is a medium pore zeolite having a 3-dimensional framework structure, and the promoter is one or more organic carbonyl compounds or derivatives thereof, and wherein and the molar ratio of promoter to C.sub.2+ alcohols is maintained at less than 1.

A process for dehydrating C.sub.2+ alcohols to ether products in the presence of a catalyst and promoter, wherein the catalyst is at least one aluminosilicate zeolite catalyst which is a medium pore zeolite having a 3-dimensional framework structure, and the promoter is one or more organic carbonyl compounds or derivatives thereof, and wherein and the molar ratio of promoter to C.sub.2+ alcohols is maintained at less than 1.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing ethers, particularly unsymmetrical ethers, and preferably ethers suitable for use as base stocks for lubricant compositions. In particular, the process involves the reaction of an α,β-unsaturated aldehyde with a trihydrocarbyl orthoester to form an α,β-unsaturated acetal and conversion of the α,β-unsaturated acetal to an ether through hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing ethers, particularly unsymmetrical ethers, and preferably ethers suitable for use as base stocks for lubricant compositions. In particular, the process involves the reaction of an α,β-unsaturated aldehyde with a trihydrocarbyl orthoester to form an α,β-unsaturated acetal and conversion of the α,β-unsaturated acetal to an ether through hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis.

The present invention relates to a selective process for preparing acetals or ethers. In particular, the process involves a selective catalytic hydrogenolysis of a trihydrocarbyl orthoesterso as to control the extent of dealcoholation to afford either the corresponding acetal or ether product. Ether products preparable by means of the present invention include ethers which are suitable for use as base stocks in lubricating compositions.

The present invention relates to a selective process for preparing acetals or ethers. In particular, the process involves a selective catalytic hydrogenolysis of a trihydrocarbyl orthoesterso as to control the extent of dealcoholation to afford either the corresponding acetal or ether product. Ether products preparable by means of the present invention include ethers which are suitable for use as base stocks in lubricating compositions.

Provided are two-stage processes by which primary alcohols such as ethanol or 1-butanol are converted into distillate-range ethers and olefins utilizing Guerbet coupling followed by intermolecular dehydration. The ethers can be used, for example, as cetane-improvers in diesel fuel, while the olefins can be hydrogenated to afford paraffins.

Provided are two-stage processes by which primary alcohols such as ethanol or 1-butanol are converted into distillate-range ethers and olefins utilizing Guerbet coupling followed by intermolecular dehydration. The ethers can be used, for example, as cetane-improvers in diesel fuel, while the olefins can be hydrogenated to afford paraffins.

Processes for producing alcohols from biomass are provided. The processes utilize supercritical methanol to depolymerize biomass with subsequent conversion to a mixture of alcohols. In particular the disclosure relates to continuous processes which produce high yields of alcohols through recycling gases and further employ dual reactor configurations which improve overall alcohol yields. Processes for producing higher ethers and olefins from the so-formed alcohols, through alcohol coupling and subsequent dehydration are also provided. The resulting distillate range ethers and olefins are useful as components in liquid fuels, such as diesel and jet fuel.