Process for producing low molecular weight propylene polymers

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING PROPYLENE POLYMERS BY CONTACTING PROPYLENE IN A CONTACTING ZONE AT TEMPERATURES IN RANGE 400* F. TO 600* F. AND PRESSURES SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN WATER IN LIQUID PHASE WITH A CATALYST CONSISTING OF A DILUTE AQEOUS SOLUTION OF A MINERAL ACID, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES PRODUCING SELECTIVELY PROPYLENE DIMER AND TRIMER POLYMERS BY MAINTIAING THE CONCENTRATION OF SAID CATALYST IN SAID ZONE IN THE RANGE OF FROM ABOUT 0.05 MOLE PERCENT TO 10 MOLE PERCENT BASED ON THE QUANTITY OF WATER PRESENT IN SAID ZONE, MAINTAINING AT LEAST ONE MOLE OF WATER PER MOLE OF PROPYLENE IN SAID ZONE, FORMING IN SAID ZONE AN ORGANIC PHASE COMPRISING DIISOPROPYL ETHER, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, AND ESSENTIALLY ONLY THE DIMER AND TRIMER POLYMERS OF PROPYLENE, FORMING IN SAID ZONE AN AQEOUS PHAS COMPRISING SAID CATALYST ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL AND DIISOPROPYL ETHER, AND RECOVERING SAID ORGANIC PHASE.