An integrated process for making propene oxide and an alkyl tert-butyl ether comprises dehydrogenating a feed stream comprising iso-butane to provide a stream comprising iso-butene and hydrogen and separating this stream into a stream consisting essentially of hydrogen and a stream comprising iso-butene; reacting a part or all of the stream comprising iso-butene with an alkanol in the presence of a solid acid catalyst to provide an alkyl tert-butyl ether; reacting a part or all of the stream consisting essentially of hydrogen with oxygen, providing a stream comprising hydrogen peroxide; and reacting a part or all of the stream comprising hydrogen peroxide with propene in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst to provide propene oxide.

An integrated process for making propene oxide and an alkyl tert-butyl ether comprises dehydrogenating a feed stream comprising iso-butane to provide a stream comprising iso-butene and hydrogen and separating this stream into a stream consisting essentially of hydrogen and a stream comprising iso-butene; reacting a part or all of the stream comprising iso-butene with an alkanol in the presence of a solid acid catalyst to provide an alkyl tert-butyl ether; reacting a part or all of the stream consisting essentially of hydrogen with oxygen, providing a stream comprising hydrogen peroxide; and reacting a part or all of the stream comprising hydrogen peroxide with propene in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst to provide propene oxide.

An integrated process for making propene oxide and an alkyl tert-butyl ether comprises dehydrogenating a feed stream comprising propane and iso-butane to provide a stream comprising propene, iso-butene and hydrogen; separating this stream into a stream consisting essentially of hydrogen and a stream comprising propene and iso-butene; separating the stream comprising propene and iso-butene into a stream comprising propene and a stream comprising iso-butene; reacting a part or all of the stream comprising iso-butene with an alkanol in the presence of a solid acid catalyst to provide an alkyl tert-butyl ether; and reacting a part or all of the stream comprising propene with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst to provide propene oxide.

An integrated process for making propene oxide and an alkyl tert-butyl ether comprises dehydrogenating a feed stream comprising propane and iso-butane to provide a stream comprising propene, iso-butene and hydrogen; separating this stream into a stream consisting essentially of hydrogen and a stream comprising propene and iso-butene; separating the stream comprising propene and iso-butene into a stream comprising propene and a stream comprising iso-butene; reacting a part or all of the stream comprising iso-butene with an alkanol in the presence of a solid acid catalyst to provide an alkyl tert-butyl ether; and reacting a part or all of the stream comprising propene with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst to provide propene oxide.

An integrated process for making propene oxide and an alkyl tert-butyl ether comprises dehydrogenating a feed stream comprising propane and iso-butane to provide a stream comprising propene, iso-butene and hydrogen; separating this stream into a stream consisting essentially of hydrogen and a stream comprising propene and iso-butene; separating the stream comprising propene and iso-butene into a stream comprising propene and a stream comprising iso-butene; reacting a part or all of the stream comprising iso-butene with an alkanol in the presence of a solid acid catalyst to provide an alkyl tert-butyl ether; and reacting a part or all of the stream comprising propene with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst to provide propene oxide.

The invention is concerned with the production of 1-hexene and octenes from ethene. 1-Butene is optionally also to be produced. The problem addressed by the present invention is that of developing a process for producing 1-hexene from ethene by MTHxE etherification to achieve better chemical utilization of the employed carbon atoms. This problem is solved by catalytic retrocleavage of MTHxE into the C.sub.6 olefins and the alcohol, reuse of the alcohol in the etherification and reaction of the obtained C.sub.6 olefins with ethene to afford C.sub.8 olefins. In this way the alcohol is not lost from the process but rather is internally recirculated as a derivatizing agent. The less attractive C.sub.6 olefins from the cleavage product are upgraded to octene with further ethene in order to provide a further commercial product.

The invention is concerned with the production of 1-hexene and octenes from ethene. 1-Butene is optionally also to be produced. The problem addressed by the present invention is that of developing a process for producing 1-hexene from ethene by MTHxE etherification to achieve better chemical utilization of the employed carbon atoms. This problem is solved by catalytic retrocleavage of MTHxE into the C.sub.6 olefins and the alcohol, reuse of the alcohol in the etherification and reaction of the obtained C.sub.6 olefins with ethene to afford C.sub.8 olefins. In this way the alcohol is not lost from the process but rather is internally recirculated as a derivatizing agent. The less attractive C.sub.6 olefins from the cleavage product are upgraded to octene with further ethene in order to provide a further commercial product.

Catalyst compositions are prepared by contacting a palladium source and 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaadamantane and a methoxyocta-diene compound, in a primary aliphatic alcohol, under suitable conditions including a ratio of equivalents of palladium to equivalents of 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaadamantane ranging from greater than 1:1 to 1:1.3. The result is a complex of palladium, a 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaada-mantane ligand, and a ligand selected from a methoxyoctadiene ligand, an octadienyl ligand, or a protonated octadienyl. Such complexes may, in solution, exhibit surprising solubility and storage stability and are useful in the telomerization of butadiene, which is a step in the production of 1-octene.

Catalyst compositions are prepared by contacting a palladium source and 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaadamantane and a methoxyocta-diene compound, in a primary aliphatic alcohol, under suitable conditions including a ratio of equivalents of palladium to equivalents of 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaadamantane ranging from greater than 1:1 to 1:1.3. The result is a complex of palladium, a 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaada-mantane ligand, and a ligand selected from a methoxyoctadiene ligand, an octadienyl ligand, or a protonated octadienyl. Such complexes may, in solution, exhibit surprising solubility and storage stability and are useful in the telomerization of butadiene, which is a step in the production of 1-octene.

Catalyst compositions are prepared by contacting a palladium source and 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaadamantane and a methoxyocta-diene compound, in a primary aliphatic alcohol, under suitable conditions including a ratio of equivalents of palladium to equivalents of 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaadamantane ranging from greater than 1:1 to 1:1.3. The result is a complex of palladium, a 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaada-mantane ligand, and a ligand selected from a methoxyoctadiene ligand, an octadienyl ligand, or a protonated octadienyl. Such complexes may, in solution, exhibit surprising solubility and storage stability and are useful in the telomerization of butadiene, which is a step in the production of 1-octene.