Tert-Butyl methyl ether CAS#1634-04-4

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is a colorless liquid characterized by a distinctive, unpleasant odor. It is primarily manufactured through the chemical reaction of isobutylene with methanol. Since the 1980s, MTBE has been widely used as an oxygenated additive in unleaded gasoline to improve combustion efficiency and reduce certain harmful exhaust emissions.

In addition to its applications in the fuel industry, MTBE has been used in medical procedures for gallstone dissolution. In this application, it is introduced directly into the gallbladder through specialized catheters inserted under medical supervision, where it acts as a solvent to dissolve gallstones.

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), also known as tert-butyl methyl ether, was widely used as an oxygenated additive in unleaded gasoline in the United States before 2005. It also serves as an important intermediate in isobutene production and is utilized as a chromatographic solvent, particularly as a mobile-phase eluent in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In addition, MTBE has specialized pharmaceutical applications, including its use as a solvent for gallstone dissolution through direct administration into the gallbladder (ATSDR, 1996). MTBE is also employed in the petrochemical industry. Through the reverse of its synthesis reaction, MTBE can be decomposed into isobutene and methanol over acidic catalysts at elevated temperatures, providing an alternative route for isobutene recovery.