Process for the preparation of linear alpha-olefin oligomers, subsequent hydrogenation thereof and saturated products thus obtained

Claim 1

Process for the preparation of oligomers from linear alpha-olefins having a carbon atom number of from 3 to 12 characterized in that the reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst system constituted by: a. an aluminum metallorganic halide compound having the following general formula R m AlX 3-m in which X is a halogen atom, R is hydrogen, an alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, arylalkyl, alkylaryl, alkoxy, ester radical having 1 to 12 carbon atoms and m is a number comprised between 1 and 3; b. A compound able to react with the halide of (a) to give the catalytic species which is the starter of the polymerization such compound being selected from the group consisting of: I. halogens or interhalogenic compounds having the general formula X'Y in which X' and Y, the same or different, are selected among chlorine, bromine, iodine and fluorine, Ii. metal halides having the general formula MeX" n Y' m .sbsb.1 in which X" is a halogen atom or anion chosen among ClO 4 - , HSO 4 - , NO 2 - , NO 3 - , ClO 3 - , Y' is oxygen or sulphur, or a functional group chosen among the alcoxi, ester, amide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aromatic, either simple or substituted, groups, Me is a metal element chosen among Si, B, Be, Sb, As, Bi and Mg; m 1 is a whole number, even if equal to zero, n too is a whole number and the sum thereof is equal to the Me valence, apart from Y' is oxygen or sulphur, where the valence is expressed by 2m 1 + n.