Process for producing linear alpha olefins

Abstract

Abstract AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR CATALYTIC POLYMERIZATION, OR OLIGOMERIZATION, OF ETHYLENE TO OBTAIN A REACTION PRODUCT MIXTURE CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF C4 TO C200 OLEFINS, INCLUDING ESPECIALLY LINEAR ALPHA OLEFINS. THE OLIGOMERIZATION REACTION IS CONDUCTED BY ADDING ETHYLENE TO A DILUENT AT PRESSURES TO MAINTAIN AN ETHYLENE CONCENTRATION IN THE LIQUID PHAS SUFFICIENT TO SUPPRESS COPOLYMERIZATION REACTIONS INVOLVING THE PRODUCT OLEFINS. IT IS FOUND THAT HIGHER CATALYST ACTIVITY AND STABILITY CAN BE MAINTAINED IF THE TRANSITION METAL HALIDE AND ORGANO ALUMINUM HALIDE CATALYTIC MIXTURE IS MODIFIED, PRIOR TO INITIATION OF THE REACTION, WITH A STRONG LEWIS ACID (OR AGENT WHICH WILL GENERATE SUCH ACID IN SITU), ADDED IN SMALL BUT EFFECTIVE CRITICAL CONCENTRATIONS. MODIFICATION OF THE CATALYTIC MIXTURE ALSO PERMITS OPERATION AT TEMPERATURES RANGING, E.G., ABOUT 20 TO 60 CENTIGRADE DEGREES HIGHER THAN PERMITTED BY USE OF AN UNMODIFIED CATALYST AND HENCE REFRIGERATION NEEDS ARE REDUCED, OR ELIMINATED.

Inventors

• 👤 Neville L Cull
• 👤 Roby Bearden Jr
• 👤 Joseph K Mertzweiller

Bibliographic Details