A catalytic distillation process for isomerizing and separating 1-alkenes
from a mixed alkene stream. The process comprises contacting a mixed
alkene stream comprising the 1-alkene and homologs thereof with a
supported isomerization catalyst under isomerization/distillation
conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the homologs to the
1-alkene, the isomerization/distillation conditions also being effective
to produce a distillation overhead comprising a sufficient portion of the
1-alkene to drive isomerization of the homologs to the 1-alkene while
maintaining the mixed alkene stream at least partially in liquid phase.
The isomerization/distillation conditions are effective to recover a
quantity of 1-alkene greater than an equilibrium quantity of 1-alkene
recovered under isomerization conditions alone. The 1-alkene is selected
from the group consisting of 1-alkenes having from about 4 to about 8
carbon atoms; provided that, when the mixed alkene stream is a C.sub.4
stream, the isomerization/distillation conditions comprise an amount of
an extraction agent.