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.

Reactors and methods of using the reactors to produce 1-butene are disclosed. A feed stream comprising n-butane is flowed to a dehydrogenation compartment of a reactor. The dehydrogenation compartment includes a dehydrogenation catalyst for catalyzing the dehydrogenation of n-butane to produce a dehydrogenation compartment effluent comprising 1-butene, 2-butene, isobutene, and/or unreacted n-butane. The dehydrogenation compartment effluent is flowed to a isomerization compartment of the reactor. The isomerization compartment contains a catalyst for isomerizing 2-butene in the dehydrogenation compartment effluent to produce 1-butene. A heating section is disposed between the dehydrogenation compartment and the isomerization compartment to provide heat for the reactions in both compartments.

The present disclosure provides processes and apparatus for producing poly alpha olefins. In at least one embodiment, a process to produce a poly alpha olefin includes introducing a first olefin monomer to a first catalyst and an activator in a first reactor to form a first reactor effluent comprising olefin dimers and olefin timers. The process includes heating the first reactor effluent to form an isomerized product and introducing the isomerized product to a filtration unit to form a filtration effluent. The process may include introducing the filtration effluent to a first distillation unit to form a first distillation effluent. The process may include introducing the first distillation effluent to a second distillation unit to form a second distillation effluent. The process includes introducing the first distillation effluent and/or the second distillation effluent to a second catalyst in a second reactor to form a second reactor effluent comprising the olefin timers.

Processes and systems for C.sub.3+ monoolefin conversion. In some examples, the process can include reacting a first mixture that includes C.sub.3+ monoolefins and a first oxygenate to produce a first effluent that includes a first ether and <1 wt. % of any first di-C.sub.3+ olefin. A first product that includes the first ether and a first byproduct that includes at least a portion of any first di-C.sub.3+ olefin and unreacted C.sub.3+ monoolefins can be separated from the first effluent. A second olefin mixture, at least a portion of the first byproduct, and a second oxygenate can be combined to produce a second mixture. The second mixture can be reacted to produce a second effluent that includes a second ether and a second di-C.sub.3+ olefin. The reaction of the second mixture can produce a greater amount, on a mole basis, of the second di-C.sub.3+ olefin than the second ether.

Reactors and methods of using the reactors to produce 1-butene are disclosed. A feed stream comprising n-butane is flowed to a dehydrogenation compartment of a reactor. The dehydrogenation compartment includes a dehydrogenation catalyst for catalyzing the dehydrogenation of n-butane to produce a dehydrogenation compartment effluent comprising 1-butene, 2-butene, isobutene, and/or unreacted n-butane. The dehydrogenation compartment effluent is flowed to a isomerization compartment of the reactor. The isomerization compartment contains a catalyst for isomerizing 2-butene in the dehydrogenation compartment effluent to produce 1-butene. A heating section is disposed between the dehydrogenation compartment and the isomerization compartment to provide heat for the reactions in both compartments.

Isomerized olefin products are produced by contacting an olefin feed containing a C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 normal alpha olefin, a solid acid catalyst, and a C.sub.2 to C.sub.15 primary ester to form the isomerized olefin product. Typical primary esters used in the processes include formates and acetates. Linear olefin compositions are produced that contain at least 80 wt. % C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 linear internal olefins, less than 8 wt. % C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 normal alpha olefins, less than 8 wt. % dimers of C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 olefins, less than 15 wt. % C.sub.10 to C.sub.20 branched olefins, and at least 1 wt. % C.sub.2 to C.sub.15 primary ester and less than 8 wt. % secondary esters.

Processes and systems for C.sub.3+ monoolefin conversion. In some examples, the process can include reacting a first mixture that includes C.sub.3+ monoolefins and a first oxygenate to produce a first effluent that includes a first ether and <1 wt. % of any first di-C.sub.3+ olefin. A first product that includes the first ether and a first byproduct that includes at least a portion of any first di-C.sub.3+ olefin and unreacted C.sub.3+ monoolefins can be separated from the first effluent. A second olefin mixture, at least a portion of the first byproduct, and a second oxygenate can be combined to produce a second mixture. The second mixture can be reacted to produce a second effluent that includes a second ether and a second di-C.sub.3+ olefin. The reaction of the second mixture can produce a greater amount, on a mole basis, of the second di-C.sub.3+ olefin than the second ether.

A method for producing p-xylene, comprising: a dimerization step of bringing a first raw material comprising isobutene into contact with a dimerization catalyst to generate C8 components comprising diisobutylene; a cyclization step of bringing a second raw material comprising the C8 components into contact with a dehydrogenation catalyst comprising Pt in the presence of water to obtain a reaction product comprising p-xylene; and a collection step of collecting p-xylene from the reaction product.

A process is described for the separation of C.sub.5 hydrocarbons present, in a quantity ranging from 0.2 to 20% by weight, in streams prevalently containing C.sub.4 products used for the production of high-octane hydrocarbon compounds, by the selective dimerization of isobutene, characterized in that the dimerization reaction is carried out in the presence of linear and branched alcohols and alkyl ethers in a quantity which is such as to have a molar ratio alcohols/alkyl ethers/isobutene in the feeding higher than 0.01.

The selective dimerization of isoolefins, such as isobutene or isopentane, or mixtures thereof, may be conducted in a system including a series of fixed bed reactors and a catalytic distillation reactor. The system may provide for conveyance of the fixed bed reactor effluents, without componential separation, to a downstream reactor. It has been found that a high selectivity to the dimer may be achieved even though intermediate separation of the desired product from unreacted components between reactors is not performed. Further, embodiments provide for use of a divided wall column for recovery of a high purity dimer product, reducing unit piece count and plot size.