2539. OCON, E. A. Manufacture of Branched-Chain Aliphatic Compounds. United States Patent 2,299,844, Oct. 27, 1942; appl. filed Jan. 2, 1940, Serial No. 312,027 (Cl. 44-54). Chem. Abs., vol. 37, 1943, p. 1722.

Method is employed for converting low-boiling, straight-chain, oxygenated derivatives of normal aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as are obtained by synthesis from CO and H₂, into higher boiling isoaliphatic compounds of higher antiknock value suitable for motor fuel, which involves bringing a mixture of such oxygenated derivatives, normally gaseous olefins, and a reducing gas composed primarily of CO and containing <25% of H₂, the combined CO and olefin content of the gaseous material being at least equal to the volume of oxygenated derivatives, into contact with a dehydrating catalyst, such as a dehydrated Cu-U phosphate, at a temperature in the range of 400°-1,100° F. while maintaining the H₂O vapor content of the reactants < 8% by volume.