Fluids having partially hydrogenated substituted styrene linear dimers and method of making same

A process of producing a basestock, the process comprising:

• (i) reacting a feed stream comprising from about 96 weight % to about 98 weight % substituted styrene, from about 1 weight % to about 2 weight % alcohol, and from about 1 weight % to about 2 weight % dimerization catalyst, in the presence of a solvent, wherein the weight % is based on the total weight of the substituted styrene, alcohol, and dimerization catalyst, to form a crude slurry of dimerized substituted styrene;
• and
• (ii) partially hydrogenating the dimerized substituted styrene with hydrogen over a Group VIII catalyst to form a basestock comprising:
• (a) from about 10 weight % to about 78 weight % fully hydrogenated substituted styrene linear dimer;
• (b) from about 10 weight % to about 60 weight % partially hydrogenated mono-aromatic substituted styrene linear dimer;
• and
• (c) from about 0 weight % to about 30 weight % partially hydrogenated di-aromatic substituted styrene linear dimer.
• wherein the weight % is based on the total of (a), (b) and (c).

A lubricant basestock comprising:

• (i) from about 35 weight % to about 65 weight % 2,4-bis-cyclohexyl-2-methylpentane;
• (ii) from about 30 weight % to about 55 weight % 2-phenyl-4-cyclohexyl-2-methylpentane and 2-cyclohexyl-4-phenyl-2-methylpentane;
• and
• (iii) from about 5 weight % to about 15 weight % 2,4-diphenyl-2-methylpentane.