250 05 0 90 0 75______________________________________ thus when said ratio is at least 0 1 1 thf becomes more volatile over the whole composition range permitting it to be removed as a water azeotrope from the top of the column optimum water rates also depend on reflux ratio since the higher the reflux the greater the flow of thf alcohol s down the column at a fixed reflux ratio and constant feed of thf alcohol s the water feed rate will be chosen to give the desired composition throughout the column at an u03b1 of less than about 2 2 separation becomes difficult and expensive the above data illustrates the remarkable improvement obtained in ease of separation of methanol and thf by water extractive distillation a conventional distillation column may be used to conduct the extractive distillation of this invention the column may be operated at superatmospheric pressure to ease condensation of the thf water azeotrope and reduce column size but atmospheric pressure can also be used particularly if a low pressure steam is available for heating little advantage is seen otherwise in superatmospheric pressure operation as anyone skilled in the art would know the particular temperature used will depend on the pressure selected generally the present process is operable at pressures of from 5 psia to 100 psia or even more preferably the pressure is from atmospheric to 50 psia pressures below 5 psia are difficult to attain pressures above 100 psia are operable but no particular advantage is gained by such greater pressures the thf from which the alcohols are removed is useful as a solvent for resins and polymers the following examples further illustrate the invention in the examples all percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated.