The kinetics of the formation of tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME; 2-methoxy-2-methylbutane) was investigated in a batch reactor, using a commercial ion-exchange resin (Amberlyst 16) as catalyst. The effect of the methanol/isoamylene ratio on the etherification rate was measured at temperatures between 333 and 353 K. The initial rates of isomerization of 2-methyl-1-butene to 2-methyl-2-butene and the etherification of 2-methyl-1-butene to TAME were measured in the absence of 2-methyl-2-butene in the feed. The initial rate of etherification was found to be 2.3-2.7 times that of isomerization. The experimental results were best described by kinetic equations, which were based on a mechanism where the alcohol and the ether adsorbed on the catalyst surface and the isoamylenes reacted from the hulk liquid phase. The kinetic equations were written in terms of activities, using the UNIQUAC method for activity coefficient calculation. The activation energy was determined to be 81.6 kJ/mol for the isomerization and 72.6 kJ/mol for the etherification of 2M1B to TAME and 94.1 kJ/mol for the etherification of 2M2B. The experimental results were in a good agreement with the results simulated by the proposed model.