Process for the hydrogenation of resins

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING SUBSTANTIALLY WATER-WHITE PETROLEUM RESINS OF HIGH SOFTENING POINTS WHICH COMPRISES ISOLATING A PETROLEUM FRACTION BOILING WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 50*F. TO 450*F. AND HAVING THE FOLLOWING COMPOSITION: PERCENT BY WEIGHT BENZENE ----------------------------------- 5-20 TOLUENE ----------------------------------- 5-15 C9-C12 AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS -------------- 0-25 CYCLODIENES ------------------------------- 5-15 ALIPHATIC DIOLEFINS ------------------------ U/-UK MONO-OLEFINS ------------------------------- 15-60 C4+ PARAFFINS ----------------------------- 0-5 HEAT SOAKING SAID FRACTION TO DIMERIZE THE CYCLODIENES CONTAINED THEREIN AND RECOVERING A RESIN FEED CONTAINING LESS THAN 5 WT. PERCENT CYCLODIENES, POLYMERIZING SAID FEED IN THE PRESENCE OF A FRIEDEL-CRAFTS POLYMERIZATION CATALYST AT A TEMPERATURE A ABOUT -150*F. TO ABOUT +200*F. TO PRODUCE A RESINOUS PRODUCT, STEAM STRIPPING SAID RESINOUS PRODUCT TO A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO GIVE A RESIN HAVING A SOFTENING POINT OF AT LEAST 100* C., DISSOLVING THE STRIPPED RESIN IN A HYDROCARBON SOLVENT HAVING A CRITICAL TEMPERATURE BELOW 300*C. AND ABOVE 215*C., HYDROGENATING THE DISSOLVED RESIN AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 175* AND 215*C. AND AT A PRESSURE OF 500 TO 3000 P.S.I.G. IN THE PRESENCE OF A HYDROGENATION CATALYST, AND STRIPPING THE HYDROGENATED RESIN AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 150* TO 260*C. UNDER REDUCED PRESSURE TO PRODUCE A SUBSTANTIALLY WATERWHITE RESIN HAVING A SOFTENING POINT OF AT LEAST 85*C.