Ethyl Corporation

Matthew J Lynch

Marshall B Nelson

Thomas J Dileo

Ronny W Lin

Unsaturated .alpha.-olefin oligomers are topped to remove monomer and dimer and then distilled to remove a trimer fraction leaving a residue of tetramer, pentamer and higher oligomers. The trimer fraction is hydrogenated to form saturated .alpha.-olefin oligomer suitable for use as a lubricant.

Olefin oligomer synlube process

Synlubes having a consistently low pour point are made by feeding a promoter (e.g. water, alcohol) at a controlled rate over an extended time period to an .alpha.-olefin (e.g. 1-decene) in contact with boron trifluoride.

C.sub.8-14 .alpha.-olefins are oligomerized to a oligomer mixture containing a high content of tetramer by feeding the .alpha.-olefin to a reaction vessel at a controlled rate over an extended period and in the presence of BF.sub.3 and a promoter such as an alcohol.

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Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America

Matthew J Lynch