Abbreviations ETBE Density 736 kg/m³ Appearance Clear colorless liquid | Formula C2H5OC(CH3)3 Melting point -94 °C | |
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Ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) is commonly used as an oxygenate gasoline additive in the production of gasoline from crude oil. ETBE offers equal or greater air quality benefits than ethanol, while being technically and logistically less challenging. Unlike ethanol, ETBE does not induce evaporation of gasoline, which is one of the causes of smog, and does not absorb moisture from the atmosphere.
Synthesis
It is synthesized by mixing ethanol and isobutylene and reacting them with heat over a catalyst.
Ethanol, produced by fermentation and distillation, is more expensive than methanol, which is derived from natural gas. Therefore, MTBE, made from methanol is cheaper than ETBE, made from ethanol.
References
Ethyl tert-butyl ether Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA