In a normal butane isomerization process where the isomerization effluent
(108, 114) is fractionated in a deisobutanizer (116) operated such that a
lower boiling fraction (118) is provided containing at least 80 mass-%
isobutane and a higher boiling fraction (122) containing normal butane
and at least 10 mass-% isobutane. The higher boiling fraction (122) is
contacted with a selectively permeable membrane (124) to provide a
permeate (126) containing normal butane-containing and a retentate (128)
containing at least 80 mass-% isobutane. The preferred membranes are
sieving membranes having a C.sub.4 Permeate Flow Index of at least 0.01
and a C.sub.4 Permeate Flow Ratio of at least 1.25:1.