NOVELTY - Production (P1) of butene involves: (A) contacting a reactant comprising wet ethanol with a base catalyst to make a first reaction product comprising 1-butanol; (B) recovering from the first reaction product a partially-purified first reaction product consisting 1-butanol and water ( not greater than 5 wt.%); (C) contacting the partially-purified first reaction product, optionally in the presence of a solvent, with at least one acid catalyst at 50-450 degrees C and a pressure of 0.1-20.7 MPa to produce a second reaction product comprising butene; and (D) recovering the butene to obtain recovered butene.    USE - For producing butene useful as intermediates for the production of derivatives such as isoalkanes, 10-13C substituted aromatic compounds, butyl alkyl ethers, isooctenes, isooctanes, isooctanols, isooctyl alkyl ethers and p-xylene (claimed); and also useful as intermediates for the production of 1-3C alkyl substituted benzenes (such as toluene, xylenes, ethylbenzene and trimethyl benzene), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), transportation fuels and fuel additives. The p-xylene is useful for the production of a variety of other products, including terephthalic acid and polyesters.    ADVANTAGE - The process produces butene with a selectivity of 100% and a high 1-butanol conversion of 93.6%. The process produces butenes, from aqueous ethanol via dry butanol, that are useful as intermediates for production of large variety of compounds.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Production (P1) of at least one butene involves:    (A) contacting a reactant comprising wet ethanol with a base catalyst to make a first reaction product comprising 1-butanol;    (B) recovering from the first reaction product a partially-purified first reaction product consisting 1-butanol and water ( not greater than 5 wt.%);    (C) contacting the partially-purified first reaction product, optionally in the presence of a solvent, with at least one acid catalyst at 50-450 degrees C and a pressure of 0.1-20.7 MPa to produce a second reaction product comprising butene; and    (D) recovering the butene from the second reaction product to obtain recovered butene.    INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) making at least one isoalkane involving process (P1) followed by contacting the recovered butene with a straight-chain, branched or cyclic 3-5C alkane in the presence of at least one acid catalyst at -20 to 300 degrees C, and at a pressure of 0.1-10 MPa, to produce a third reaction product comprising at least one isoalkane; and isolating the isoalkane from the third reaction product to produce a least one recovered isoalkane;    (2) making at least one 10-13C substituted aromatic compound, involving process (P1) followed by contacting the recovered butene with benzene, and/or 1-3C alkyl-substituted benzene, in the presence of at least one acid catalyst and/or at least one basic catalyst, at 100-450 degrees C, and at a pressure of 0.1-10 MPa to produce a third reaction product comprising at least one 10-13C substituted aromatic compound; and isolating the 10-13C substituted aromatic compound from the third reaction product to produce at least one recovered 10-13C substituted aromatic compound;    (3) making at least one butyl alkyl ether, involving process (P1) followed by contacting the recovered butene with methanol, ethanol, and/or 3-15C straight-chain, branched or cyclic alcohol, in the presence of at least one acid catalyst at 50-200 degrees C, and at a pressure of 0.1-20.7 MPa to produce a third reaction product comprising at least one butyl alkyl ether; and isolating the butyl alkyl ether from the third reaction product to produce at least one recovered butyl alkyl ether;    (4) making (P2) at least one isooctene, involving process (P1) followed by contacting the recovered butene with at least one acid catalyst at 50-450 degrees C and a pressure of 0.1-20.7 MPa to produce a third reaction product comprising at least one isooctene; and isolating the isooctene from the third reaction product to produce recovered isooctene;    (5) making (P3) at least one isooctane, involving process (P2) followed by contacting the recovered isooctene with hydrogen in the presence of at least one hydrogenation catalyst at 50-300 degrees C and a pressure of 0.1-20.7 MPa to produce a fourth reaction product comprising at least one isooctane; and optionally recovering the isooctane from the fourth reaction product to obtain recovered isooctane;    (6) making at least one isooctanol, involving process (P2) followed by contacting the recovered isooctene with water and at least one acid catalyst at 50-300 degrees C and a pressure of 0.1-20.7 MPa to produce a fourth reaction product comprising at least one isooctanol; and recovering the isooctanol from the fourth reaction product to obtain recovered isooctanol;    (7) making at least one isooctyl alkyl ether, involving process (P2) followed by contacting the recovered isooctene with at least one straight-chain or branched 1-5C alcohol and at least one acid catalyst at 50-200 degrees C and a pressure of 0.1-20.7 MPa to produce a fourth reaction product comprising at least one isooctyl alkyl ether; and recovering the isooctyl alkyl ether from the fourth reaction product to obtain recovered isooctyl alkyl ether; and    (8) making p-xylene involving: either process (P3) followed by contacting the recovered isooctane with a heterogenous dehydrocyclization catalyst at 300-700 degrees C and a pressure of atmospheric to 1 MPa to produce a fifth reaction product comprising p-xylene; and recovering the p-xylene obtained from the fifth reaction product to obtain recovered p-xylene; or process (P2) followed by contacting the recovered isooctene with a heterogenous dehydrogenation catalyst at a 300-700 degrees C and a pressure of atmospheric to 1 MPa to produce a fourth reaction product comprising p-xylene; and recovering the p-xylene obtained from the fourth reaction product to obtain recovered p-xylene.