# US 2013/0158307 A1 · Low Viscosity Poly-Alpha-Olefins

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2013/0158307 A1
- Document ID: US20130158307A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/476,686
- Filed: 2012-05-21
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2005-07-19
- Assignees: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
- Inventors: Margaret May-Som Wu; Catalina L. Coker; John F. Walzer, JR.; Peijun Jiang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158307A1

## CPC

- C07C 11/02: Alkenes
- C07C 2/02: by addition between unsaturated hydrocarbons
- C07C 2/34: Metal-hydrocarbon complexes
- C07C 5/05: Partial hydrogenation
- C08F 10/14: Monomers containing five or more carbon atoms
- C08F 210/04: Monomers containing three or four carbon atoms
- C08F 210/14: Monomers containing five or more carbon atoms
- C10M 107/10: containing aliphatic monomer having more than 4 carbon atoms
- C10M 143/08: containing aliphatic monomer having more than 4 carbon atoms
- C08F 4/65908: {in combination with an ionising compound other than alumoxane, e.g. (C6F5)4B-X+}
- C08F 4/65912: {in combination with an organoaluminium compound}
- C08F 4/65925: {two cyclopentadienyl rings being mutually non-bridged}
- C08F 4/65927: {two cyclopentadienyl rings being mutually bridged}
- C08F 110/14: Monomers containing five or more carbon atoms
- C10M 2205/026: Butene
- C10M 2205/0265: used as base material
- C10M 2205/028: containing aliphatic monomers having more than four carbon atoms
- C10M 2205/0285: used as base material
- C10N 2020/011: {Cloud point}
- C10N 2020/013: {Iodine value}
- C10N 2020/019: {Shear stability}
- C10N 2020/02: Viscosity; Viscosity index
- C10N 2020/04: Molecular weight; Molecular weight distribution
- C10N 2020/065: {Saturated Compounds}
- C10N 2020/067: {Unsaturated Compounds}
- C10N 2020/071: {Branched chain compounds}
- C10N 2070/00: Specific manufacturing methods for lubricant compositions
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
- C10M: LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS (well drilling compositions C09K8/02); USE OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES EITHER ALONE OR AS LUBRICATING INGREDIENTS IN A LUBRICATING COMPOSITION (mould release, i.e. separating, agents for metals B22C3/00, for plastics or substances in a plastic state, in general B29C33/56, for glass C03B40/02; textile lubricating compositions D06M11/00, D06M13/00, D06M15/00; immersion oils for microscopy G02B21/33)
- C10N: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS C10M RELATING TO LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS

## Abstract

A low viscosity poly(apha-olefin) (PAO) is produced by contacting one or more C3 to C24 alpha-olefins with an unbridged, substituted bis cyclopentadienyl transition metal compound, a non-coordinating anion activator, and an alkyl-aluminum compound. The molar ratio of transition metal compound to activator is 10:1 to 0.1:1, and the molar ratio of alkyl aluminum compound to transition metal compound is 1:4 to 4000:1. The transition metal compound has either (a) at least one non-isoolefin substitution on both cyclopentadienyl rings, or (b) at least two substitutions on at least one cyclopentadienyl ring. The PAO is comprised of at least 50 mole % of C3 to C24 alpha-olefins and has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 20 cSt or less.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

-82. (canceled)

### Claim 83

A polyalpha-olefin having a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of less than 20 cSt, a Mw/Mn of between 1 and 1.4, wherein the polyalpha-olefin is produced by a process comprising:
contacting one or more alpha-olefin monomers having 3 to 24 carbon atoms with 1) a transition metal compound, wherein the compound is a) an unbridged, mono-substituted bis cyclopentadienyl transition metal compound, wherein the substitution is a non-isoolefin substitution on both cyclopentadienyl rings or b) an unbridged substituted bis cyclopentadienyl transition metal compound having at least two substitutions on at least one cyclopentadienyl ring; 2) a non-coordinating anion activator; and 3) an alkyl-aluminum compound, where the molar ratio of transition metal compound to activator is 2:1 to 0.5:1, the molar ratio of alkyl aluminum compound to transition metal compound is 2:1 to 500:1, and the milligram amount of transition metal compound per gram of alpha-olefin monomer is in the range of 0.001 to 1, under polymerization conditions wherein:
i) hydrogen is present at a partial pressure of 0.1 psi to less than 50 psi, based upon the total pressure of the reactor;
ii) wherein the alpha-olefin monomer(s) having 3 to 24 carbon atoms are present at 10 volume % or more based upon the total volume of the catalyst/activator/alkylaluminum compound solutions, monomers, and any diluents or solvents present in the reaction;
iii) the residence time of the reaction is at least 5 minutes;
iv) the productivity of the process is at least 43,000 grams of total product per gram of transition metal compound;
v) the process is continuous or semi-continuous; and
vi) ethylene is not present at more than 30 volume % of the monomers entering the reaction zone.

### Claim 84 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the polyalpha-olefin has a pour point of 0° C. or less.

### Claim 85 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the polyalpha-olefin has a pour point of −40° C. or less and a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 15cSt or less.

### Claim 86 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the polyalpha-olefin has a pour point of −55° C. or less and a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 10cSt or less.

### Claim 87 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the polyalpha-olefin is polydecene having an Mw/Mn of between 1 and 1.4.

### Claim 88 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the polyalpha-olefin has a Bromine number of 1.8 or more.

### Claim 89 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the polyalpha-olefin has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of from 1.5 to 15 cSt.

### Claim 90 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the polyalpha-olefin has a viscosity index of 90 or more.

### Claim 91 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the polyalpha-olefin has a weight average molecular weight of 100 to 50,000 g/mol.

### Claim 92 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the alphaolefin monomers are selected from the group consisting of 1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-heptene, 1-octene, 1-nonene, 1-decene, 1-undecene, 1-dodecene, 1-tridecene, 1-tetradecene, 1-pentadecene, and 1-hexadecene.

### Claim 93 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the polyalpha-olefin has been contacted with a hydrogenation catalyst and the polyalpha-olefin has a bromine number less than 1.8.

### Claim 94 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the treated polyalpha-olefin comprises 10 ppm of heteroatom containing compounds or less.

### Claim 95 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the activator comprises one or more of N,N-dimethylanilinium tetra(pentafluorophenyl)borate, N,N-dialkylphenylanilinium tetra(pentafluorophenyl)borate (where the alkyl is a C1 to C18 alkyl group), trityl tetra(pentafluorophenyl)borate, tris(pentafluorophenyl)boron, tri-alkylammonium tetra(pentafluorophenyl)borate (where the alkyl is a C1 to C18 alkyl group), tetra-alkylammonium tetra(pentafluorophenyl)borate (where the alkyl is a C1 to C18 alkyl group).

### Claim 96 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the transition metal compound comprises one or more of:
bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)hafnium dimethyl,
bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium dimethyl,
bis(ethylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium dimethyl,
bis(n-butylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium dimethyl,
bis(n-propylcyclopentadienyl)hafnium dimethyl, or
bis(n-propylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium dimethyl.

### Claim 97 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the alkylaluminum compound is represented by the formula: R3Al, where each R is, independently, selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, iso-butyl, n-butyl, t-butyl, n-pentyl, iso-pentyl, neopentyl, n-hexyl, iso-hexyl, n-heptyl, iso-heptyl, n-octyl, iso-octyl, n-nonyl, n-decyl, n-undecyl, n-dodecyl, n-tridecyl, n-tetradecyl, n-pentadecyl, n-hexadecyl, n-heptadecyl, n-octadecyl, and their iso-analogs.

### Claim 98 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein during the contacting a concentration of hydrogen of 10,000 ppm or less by weight is maintained in the reactor.

### Claim 99 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the monomers are contacted with an alkylaluminum compound prior to being introduced into the reactor.

### Claim 100 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 where the transition metal compound and/or activator are combined with an alkylaluminum compound prior to entering the reactor.

### Claim 101 (depends on 83)

The polyalpha-olefin of claim 83 wherein the polyalpha-olefin is comprised of 30 wt % or less C10 dimer.