Bp P.l.c.

Castrol Limited

Gareth Armitage

Kevin Richard West

Jon Deeley

Fiona Jackson

Gregory Price

Giles Prentice

Sorin Filip

James Garrett

The present invention relates to a process for preparing ethers, particularly unsymmetrical ethers, and preferably ethers suitable for use as base stocks for lubricant compositions. In particular, the process involves the reaction of a branched-chain aldehyde and a branched-chain alcohol to form an enol ether and conversion of the enol ether to a saturated ether by reduction.

Process for making ethers via enol ethers

The present invention relates to a process for preparing ethers, particularly unsymmetrical ethers, and preferably ethers suitable for use as base stocks for lubricant compositions. In particular, the process involves the reaction of an &#x3b1;,&#x3b2;-unsaturated aldehyde with a trihydrocarbyl orthoester to form an &#x3b1;,&#x3b2;-unsaturated acetal and conversion of the &#x3b1;,&#x3b2;-unsaturated acetal to an ether through hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis.

Etherification process

The present invention relates to a selective process for preparing acetals or ethers. In particular, the process involves a selective catalytic hydrogenolysis of a trihydrocarbyl orthoesterso as to control the extent of dealcoholation to afford either the corresponding acetal or ether product. Ether products preparable by means of the present invention include ethers which are suitable for use as base stocks in lubricating compositions.

Selective acetalization / etherification process

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London, United Kingdom

Gareth Armitage