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US4587368A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Process for producing lubricant material

Assignee: Burmah-Castrol Inc
•
Filing: 1983-12-27
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Granted: 1986-05-06
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Expires: 2003-12-27
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Abstract

Abstract A process is described for the production of a synthetic hydrocarbon especially useful as a base for high performance motor oils. The material is a oligomer of alpha-olefin monomer having a uniquely selective product distribution emphasizing tetramers and pentamers. This distribution is achieved through a controlled polymerization involving an initial oligomerization step followed by the delayed addition of fresh monomer to improve the yield of the desired tetramers and pentamers.

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert E. Pratt

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 13:12
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10G; C10G50/00; C10G50/02; C10M; C10M143/00; C10M143/08; C10M2205/00; C10M2205/02; C10M2205/028; C10N; C10N2040/00; C10N2040/25; C10N2040/251; C10N2040/255; C10N2040/28

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim 67 words
A process for producing a synthetic lubricant material comprising oligomerizing C 8 -C 12 alpha-olefin monomer in the presence of an alcohol promoted boron trifluoride catalyst until said monomer has substantially reacted to produce an intermediate oligomer, controlledly adding over a predetermined period a further aliquot of monomer to said intermediate oligomer and while continuing the oligomerization essentially to completion thereby to obtain a higher oligomer product.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 67 words
A process for producing a synthetic lubricant material comprising oligomerizing C 8 -C 12 alpha-olefin monomer in the presence of an alcohol promoted boron trifluoride catalyst until said monomer has substantially reacted to produce an intermediate oligomer, controlledly adding over a predetermined period a further aliquot of monomer to said intermediate oligomer and while continuing the oligomerization essentially to completion thereby to obtain a higher oligomer product.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the trimer/tetramer ratio of the intermediate oligomer is at least 0.5 and the trimer/tetramer ratio of the oligomer product is less than 0.4.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 11 words
The process of claim 2, wherein the alpha-olefin monomer comprises n-decene.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the aliquot of monomer comprises from 10 to 60% by weight of the intermediate oligomer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 15 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the oligomerization is performed at temperature below 40° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
The process of claim 5, wherein the catalyst promoter is a primary linear alcohol and the alpha-olefin comprises n-decene.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process of claim 6, wherein the oligomer product is hydrogenated to form a substantially saturated lubricant material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process of claim 7, wherein monomer and dimer are separated from the oligomer product prior to hydrogenation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 31 words
The process of claim 8, wherein the aliquot of alpha-olefin monomer is added slowly to the intermediate oligomer over a period of at least one hour while the oligomerization is continued.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 28 words
The process of claim 9, wherein during said period the aliquot is added, the monomer is maintained at a concentration of less than 5% by weight of oligomer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 23 words
The process of claim 10, wherein the intermediate oligomer comprises in excess of 20% trimer and less than about 30% tetramer by weight.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 23 words
The process of claim 11, wherein the oligomer product comprises less than 15% trimer and from about 30 to 50% tetramer by weight.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 23 words
The process of claim 12, wherein the oligomer product has a combined tetramer and pentamer content of at least about 45% by weight.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 17 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the further aliquot of monomer contains alcohol promoted boron trifluoride catalyst.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 22 words
The process of claim 15, wherein the alcohol promoter of the further aliquot is different from that of the initial catalyst promoter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the promoter is a mixture of at least two primary linear alcohols.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 35 words
The process of claim 16, wherein one of said alcohols is employed to reduce trimer concentration during oligomerization and another of said alcohols is employed to suppress concentration of oligomers higher then tetramer during oligomerization.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 34 words
The process of claim 17, wherein the promoter is a mixture of 1-hexanol and 1-propanol, the 1-hexanol being present in the mixture in the range about 50 mol percent to about 80 mol percent.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 17 words
The process of claim 18, wherein the 1-hexanol is present in the amount about 50 mol percent.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 17 words
The process of claim 18, wherein the 1-hexanol is present in the amount about 75 mol percent.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 43 words
A synthetic lubricant product produced by oligomerization of a C 8 -C 12 alpha-olefin monomer comprising a substantially saturated oligomer mixture of; (a) less than 15% trimer, (b) 30 to 50% tetramer, and (c) 50 to 85% of combined and tetramer and pentamer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 43 words
A synthetic lubricant product produced by oligomerization of a C 8 -C 12 alpha-olefin monomer comprising a substantially saturated oligomer mixture of; (a) less than 15% trimer, (b) 30 to 50% tetramer, and (c) 50 to 85% of combined and tetramer and pentamer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 16 words
The product of claim 21, wherein the trimer to tetramer ratio is less than about 0.3.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 17 words
The product of claim 24, wherein the mixture contains less than 3% of combined monomer and dimer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 14 words
The product of claim 21, wherein it is admixed with a natural lubricating oil.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4045507A Cited
US4172855A Cited
US4469912A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-05-05 1989-11-04 1990-05-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-05-05 1993-11-04 1994-05-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-05-05 1997-11-04 1998-05-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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