Olefin trimerization

#The present disclosure relates to processing of olefins, in particular to producing olefin trimers from olefin monomers with high selectivity.

#Current methods that are used for polymerizing olefins typically produce a mixture of olefin polymers and the selectivity towards a certain polymer is poor. Production of a desired polymer species from such polymer mixtures requires using complex separation techniques. It would therefore be beneficial to find a process which produces a desired olefin polymer with high selectivity instead of a mixture of polymers, and wherein the olefin monomers are effectively converted into the desired polymers.

#U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,791 discloses a two-reactor process which produces 75% dimers and 15% trimers from C4 monomers.

#The invention will be described in greater detail by means of non-limiting preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures.

#FIG. 1 shows the composition of a bottom product obtained with the preset process with recycled olefin dimers. Nearly 90% conversion of monomers to trimers was achieved.

#FIG. 2 shows the composition of a comparative bottom product obtained when using “once through” experimental design, i.e. without recycling olefin dimers.

#The term oxygen containing moderator refers to a compound which contains oxygen, such as an oxygenate or a compound containing oxygen, carbon and hydrogen.

#As used herein, the term “comprising” includes the broader meanings of “including”, “containing”, and “comprehending”, as well as the narrower expressions “consisting of” and “consisting only of”.

#In an embodiment the process is carried out at an industrial scale, and preferably as a continuous process.