Separation of ethers

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF SEPARATING A TERTIARY ALKYL ETHER PRESENT IN A REACTION MIXTURE PRODUCT IN AN ETHERIFICATION REACTION OF A TERTIARY BASE OLEFIN AND AN ALCOOL, AND UTILIZING SULFURIC ACID AS A CATALYST, SAID REACTION MIXTURE COMPRISING PRINCIPALLY THE ETHER, THE ALCOHOL, AND SULFURIC ACID, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF ADDING AN EXCESS QUANTITY OF AN ALCOHOL TO THE REACTION MIXTURE, SAID ALCOHOL HAVING A MAXIMUM BOILING POINT OF 200* C. AND CONTAINING WATER TO A MAXIMUM CONTENT 25 WEIGHT PER CENT AND BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT ABOUT EQUAL TO THAT OF THE ALCOHOL USED UP IN THE ETHERIFICATION REACTION, PLUS THE AMOUNT REQUIRED TO FORM THE ALCOHOL-ETHER-WATER AZEOTROPE; DISTILLING THE REACTION MIXTURE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ADDED ALCOHOL TO TAKE OVERHEAD AN ETHER-WATER-ALCOHOL AZEOTROPE; SEPARATING THE ETHER-WATER-ALCOHOL AZEOTROPE INTO AN ORANIC PHASE CONTAINING ETHER AND ALCOHOL AND AN AQUEOUS PHASE; SEPARATING THE ALCOHOL IN THE ORGANIC PHASE FROM THE ETHER PRODUCT; TAKING OFF A BOTTOMS FRACTION FROM THE DISTILLATION STEP, SAID BOTTOMS FRACTION CONTAINING ALCOHOL, SULFURIC ACID, AND A SMALLER PROPORTION OF WATER THAN WAS PRESENT IN THE COMBINED REACTION MIXTURE WITH ADDED EXCESS ALCOHOL AND RECYCLING THIS BOTTOMS FRACTION CONTAINING THE CATALYTICALLY ACTIVE SULFURIC ACID TO THE ETHERIFICATION STEP.