Hydration of 2-methylbutenes on organic ion exchange resin catalysts

Abstract

The course of the hydration of a mixture of 2-methyl-1-butene and 2-methyl-2-butene in dependence on the structure of strongly acidic styrene-divinylbenzene ion exchange resin catalysts has been studied. The most efficient catalysts turned out to be macroporous ones. The reaction rate increased with increasing temperature, while the amount of the product (2-methyl-2-butanol) in the equilibrium reaction mixture decreased. Similarly, the hydration was strongly affected by the water to alkene molar ratio in the starting reaction mixture. Modification of ion exchange resin catalysts with 1-butylamine did not affect course of the hydration in the case of gel type catalysts, while with macroporous resin catalysts the addition of amine up to 0.5% of the total catalyst exchange capacity showed activating effect.