Oil-soluble high metal content transitional metal organic oxy, hydroxy,

Abstract

Metallo-organic compositions soluble in oils and hydrocarbon solvents, of a high transitional metal content and highly overbased character, are prepared from sources of transitional metals (or of transitional in conjunction with nontransitional metals) reacted with mixed organic acids comprising at least one monocarboxylic acid and a second acid, either a sulfonic acid or a different molecular weight monocarboxylic acid. Formation of the complexes requires the use of excesses of metal over acids, and the use of an oxygen-supplying material such as air, regardless of whether the metal source be a free metal, an oxide or a hydroxide. Alkoxyalkanols or glycols may be used in addition to the required acids. These compositions comprise (1) a polynuclear core of a normally insoluble metal oxide or hydroxide which is crystalline by X-ray and electron diffraction observation, with metal hydroxyl carboxylate groups (and when present, sulfonate or alkoxyalkanol or glycol groups) ionically and hydrogen bonded to the core element atoms, and additional acid groups having an unbound association with a core and its bonded groups; (2) ultimate particles having structure with minimum average undissociated molecular weight of about 10.sup.4 ; and (3) a ratio of total moles of metal to total moles of organic acid moieties being greater than 1 to 1.