TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The 2-4C hydrocarbon comprises ethane, propane, propylene, n-butane, isobutane, isobutene, and/or n-butene (preferably essentially propane). Preferred Process: The process further comprises operating the extractive distillation column at an overhead temperature of -90 degrees C or greater (preferably -40 degrees C or greater) and an overhead pressure of 1-4 MPag; separating the bottoms fraction to form an ethylene fraction and a hydrocarbon fraction comprising at least one 2-4C hydrocarbon heavier than ethylene; separating the bottoms fraction to form a light hydrocarbon fraction comprising ethylene and ethane, and a hydrocarbon fraction comprising at least one 3-4C hydrocarbon; and recycling at least a portion of the hydrocarbon fraction to the extractive distillation column. The process further comprises contacting the reactor effluent with an aqueous solvent comprising at least one of water and glycol to remove any methanol or ethers contained in it to form an aqueous fraction having an increased concentration of methanol and ethers and a hydrocarbon phase comprising methane and ethylene; and feeding the hydrocarbon phase to the extractive distillation column as the at least a portion of the reactor effluent; and at least one of: contacting the reactor effluent with a caustic solution to separate at least a portion of carbon dioxide; contacting the reactor effluent with a molecular sieve dryer to separate at least a portion of water; recovering a reactor effluent having a reduced concentration of at least one of carbon dioxide and water; or feeding the reactor effluent having a reduced concentration of at least one of carbon dioxide and water as the at least a portion of the methanol-to-olefins reactor effluent to the extractive distillation column. The process further comprises condensing and recycling at least a portion of the overheads fraction to the extractive distillation column as a reflux. In the process, when the 2-4C hydrocarbon comprises propane, where the overheads fraction further comprises propane, then the process further comprises using at least a portion of the overheads fraction as a fuel. EXAMPLE - None given.