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Abstract

A process is disclosed for preparing a cyclic ether which comprises cyclodehydrating a polyhydroxy compound of the general formula HOR.sup.1 HC--R.sup.2 --CHR.sup.3 OH in which R.sup.1 and R.sup.3, each of which is the same or different, is hydrogen or a lower aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aryl group and R.sup.2 is a divalent aliphatic group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms containing 0, 1 or 2 etheric oxygen atoms or 0, 1 or 2 secondary or tertiary amine nitrogen atoms and 0, 1 or more lower aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and/or aryl groups containing 0 or 1 hydroxyl groups at elevated temperatures in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a Group VIII metal catalyst or a Group VIII metal-containing material to provide a cyclic ether of the general formula ##STR1## in which R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are as defined above. The process is especially useful for preparing the commercially important cyclic ethers tetrahydrofuran and 1,4-dioxane which are derived from 1,4-butanediol and ethylene glycol and/or diethylene glycol, respectively.

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First Claim