Olefin oxidation process

Claim 1

A process for separating isobutylene from a C 4 stream containing isobutylene and linear mono-olefins by selectively oxidizing the linear olefins to leave isobutylene which comprises contacting: (a) said C 4 stream with (b) oxygen in (c) a reaction diluent comprising at least two liquid phases wherein at least one liquid phase is an aqueous phase, and in the presence of (d) a catalyst comprising a palladium component, a copper component, and a boron-containing material that provides a catalytically active boric acid under the conditions employed in the reaction, and (e) a surfactant selected from the group of: (1) quaternary ammonium salts of the general formula (R'") 4 N + X - , (2) alkali metal alkyl sulfates of the general formula R' v OSO 3 M, (3) alkali metal salts of alkanoic acids of the general formula R' v CO 2 M, (4) alkali metal salts of alkaryl sulfonic acids of the general formula ##STR3## (5) 1-alkyl pyridinium salts of the general formula ##STR4## wherein R'" is an alkyl radical of from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and wherein the total number of carbon atoms in said quaternary ammonium salt is from about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms; X - is selected from the group consisting of Br - , Cl - , I - , F - , R'"CO 2 - , QSO 3 - , BF 4 - , HSO 4 - , wherein Q is an aryl or alkaryl radical of 6 to 10 carbon atoms; R' v is an alkyl radical of from 10 to about 20 carbon atoms; M is an alkali metal; R v is an alkyl radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms and wherein n is 0 or an integer of from 1 to 4, under oxidation conditions sufficient to oxidize the linear monoolefins of (a) to carbonyl compounds, and then separating the oxidation products resulting from the oxidation of the linear mono-olefins from the unreacted isobutylene.