Merck, 650560-1L, tert-Butyl methyl ether

tert-Butyl methyl ether is a gasoline additive. Its oxidative degradation by propane-oxidizing bacterial strains has been tested. Kinetics of its heat-assisted persulfate oxidation has been investigated at various pH, temperature, oxidant concentration and ionic strength levels. Its biodegradation followed a pseudo-first-order decay model and its pseudo-first-order rate constants were evaluated. MTBE can be synthesized by acid catalyzed reaction between methanol and isobutene. A study suggests that the addition of MTBE increases the number of active sites during polymerization of propene by stopped-flow method.