Free radical process for making low molecular weight compounds useful for making high octane fuels

A continuous method of making one or more C3 to C12 organic compounds, comprising the step of free radically reacting reactants comprising at least one C2 to C6 unsaturated organic compound and at least one C1 to C10 chain transfer agent in a reaction zone in the presence of at least one free radical initiator under conditions effective to form a reaction product comprising the one or more C3 to C12 organic compounds, wherein:

• i) the at least one C2 to C6 unsaturated organic compound is fed to the reaction zone in a manner effective to limit the concentration of the at least one C2 to C6 unsaturated organic compound in the reaction zone to 2 weight percent or less based on the total weight of the at least one C2 to C6 unsaturated organic compound and the at least one chain transfer agent in the reaction zone;
• ii) the at least one C2 to C6 unsaturated organic compound is reacted in the reaction zone at a rate equal to or greater than the rate at which the at least one C2 to C6 unsaturated organic compound is fed to the reaction zone;
• and
• iii) the at least one C2 to C6 unsaturated organic compound and the at least one C1 to C10 chain transfer agent are reacted in the reaction zone in a manner such that the molar conversion of the at least one C2 to C6 unsaturated organic compound is greater than the molar conversion of the at least one C1 to C10 chain transfer agent.