Novel etherification process

Claim 1

A process for converting an olefin, or mixture of olefins, to an ether, or a mixture of ethers, said olefin being a branched olefin or a diolefin defined by the following structure: ##STR3## wherein R 1 is hydrogen, alkyl or alkenyl; but when R 1 is alkenyl R 2 and R 3 are hydrogen or alkyl; and when R 1 is hydrogen or alkyl, R 2 and R 3 are alkyls; said alkyls and alkenyls having from one to 12 carbon atoms, which comprises reacting in batch form in liquid phase said olefins, or mixtures of olefins, with an alkanol, or mixtures of alkanols, selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, normal propanol and isopropanol, in a molar ratio of alkanol to olefin from about 1:1 to about 15:1, in contact with silicatungstic acid, with the weight of catalyst per weight of reaction solution being about 1:100 to about 1:1, at a temperature of about 50° to about 200° C. and a pressure of about 0.1 to about 10 atmospheres for about one minute to about 12 hours or even longer.