tert-Butyl Methyl Ether

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is a synthetic chemical with synonyms methyl tertiary-butyl ether, tert-butyl methyl ether, tertiary-butyl methyl ether, methyl-1,1-dimethylethyl ether, 2-methoxy-2-methylpropane, 2-methyl-2-methoxypropane, methyl t-butyl ether, and MTBE. It was primarily used as a gasoline additive in unleaded gasoline in the United States prior to 2005, in the manufacture of isobutene, and as a chromatographic eluent especially in high pressure liquid chromatography (ATSDR, 1996; HSDB, 2012). It is also a pharmaceutical agent and can be injected into the gallbladder to dissolve gallstones (ATSDR, 1996). As a result of its manufacture and use, MTBE may be released into the environment through various waste streams directly (IPCS, 1998; HSDB, 2012). The predominant use for MTBE in the United States was as an oxygenate in unleaded gasoline promoting more complete burning of gasoline. Reformulated fuel with MTBE was widely used in the United States between 1992 and 2005 to meet the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) requirements for reducing carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3) levels.
Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), also known as tert-butyl methyl ether, a colorless liquid, is an aliphatic ether and volatile organic compound (VOC). It is moderately soluble in water and very soluble in some organic solvents such as alcohol and diethylether (ATSDR, 1996). It is a flammable liquid with a characteristic odor.