A process for conversion of methanol to olefins (MTO), including: contacting methanol and air in a methanol-to-olefins reactor; recovering an effluent from the methanol-to-olefins reactor comprising methanol, ethylene, and nitrogen oxides; separating the effluent via one or more reactive distillation and/or distillation stages using a hydrocarbon absorbent to recover a first fraction comprising ethylene and a second fraction comprising methane; wherein the separating comprises operating the one or more extractive distillation and/or distillation stages at temperatures and pressures sufficient to prevent any substantial conversion of nitrogen oxides to N2O3.