ISOBUTENE BY DEHYDROISOMERISTION OF NORMAL BUTANE

This invention relates to a method of dehydroisomerizing n-butane by contacting at elevated temperatures a feedstock containing n-butanes with a catalyst composition containing a gallium compound on a support. The process affords a valuable method of producing iso-butene which is a basic chemical feedstock for a number of products including polyisobutenes, methacrolein and methyl tertiary butyl ether, to name a few. The last named compound can be prepared by reacting isobutene with methanol and is a convenient means of separating iso-butene from the products of the dehydroisomerization stage.