GB421118A - Improvements in the manufacture and production of hydrocarbons of high molecular weight from isobutylene - Google Patents

Abstract

Hydrocarbons of high molecular weight are manufactured by subjecting isobutylene in the liquid state to the action of gaseous or solid volatile halides of groups II, V, VI and VIII of the periodic system or of liquid volatile halides at temperatures above -10 DEG C., e.g., at ordinary or elevated temperatures. Suitable gaseous or solid volatile halides are beryllium chloride, zinc chloride, phosphorus pentafluoride, arsenic fluoride, uranium hexafluoride, ferric chloride and osmium octafluoride. As liquid volatile halides may be employed those which are liquid at room or slightly increased temperature, e.g., 40 DEG C., such as boron chloride, tin tetrachloride, titanium tetrachloride, anhydrous hydrofluoric acid and antimony pentafluoride. Alternatively aluminium chloride may be employed if care is taken that the temperature does not exceed 50 DEG C., during the substantial part of the reaction. The aluminium chloride may be in the form of aluminium activated with mercury chloride with the addition of sufficient amounts of hydrogen chloride. The isobutylene may be polymerized in bulk or in the dissolved or emulsified state. The products may be added to solid or liquid hydrocarbons, e.g., lubricating oils, in order to improve their viscosity, disruptive strength, setting point and coke test. A table shows the effect on the viscosity of two lubricating oils of products obtained by polymerizing isobutylene by the action of: (a) boron chloride at 100 DEG C., under pressure; (b) aluminium chloride at 20 DEG C., under pressure; (c) titanium tetrachloride under the same conditions; (d) titanium chloride at 50 DEG C. under pressure; (e) boron fluoride, led into boiling isobutylene, the temperature being allowed to rise. The products may also be added to paraffin wax, benzine and solid greases. In examples: (1) isobutylene is treated with boron trichloride in an autoclave at 100 DEG C.; (2) isobutylene is treated with titanium tetrachloride at 20 DEG C., in a water-cooled autoclave; (3) isobutylene and tin tetrachloride are allowed to stand at room temperature in a closed flask, and the product is fractionated under reduced pressure; (4) boiling isobutylene is stirred with aluminium chloride, the temperature rising and reaching about 70 DEG C. at the end; the product is partly distilled off; (5) aluminium chloride is added gradually to a solution of isobutylene in pentane at 15 DEG C., under a reflux condenser at -5 DEG C.; the product is fractionated under reduced pressure; (6) isobutylene is charged into an autoclave and there is introduced aluminium chloride fused into a reagent glass which is broken at 20 DEG C., the temperature rising during the reaction to 50 DEG C.; part of the product is distilled off under reduced pressure. Specifications 358,068; 399,527, [Group III], and 401,297 are referred to.ALSO:Solid or liquid hydrocarbons are improved in respect of viscosity, disruptive strength, setting point and coke test by the addition of hydrocarbons of high molecular weight obtained by subjecting isobutylene in the liquid state to the action of gaseous or solid volatile halides of groups II, V, VI, and VIII of the periodic system or of liquid volatile halides at temperatures above 10 DEG C., or to the action of aluminium chloride while taking care that the temperature does not exceed 50 DEG C., during the substantial part of the reaction. A table shows the effect of certain of these products on the viscosity of two lubricating oils. The products may also be added to paraffin wax, benzine and solid greases. Specifications 358,068, 399,527, and 401,297 are referred to.