Adducts of Low Molecular Weight PIB With Low Polydispersity and High Vinylidene Content

A liquid phase polymerization process to manufacture derivatives of polyisobutylene (PIB) having a number average molecular weight, Mn, of 1000 Daltons or less and at least 60 mol % percent alpha vinylidene terminated polyisobutylene molecules and derivatives thereof, said process comprising:

• a) providing a feedstock comprising isobutylene;
• b) providing a catalyst composition comprising a Friedel-Crafts catalyst and a complexing agent therefor;
• c) providing a suitable chain transfer agent (“CTA”);
• d) providing a polymerization-retarding agent;
• e) introducing said feedstock, said catalyst composition, said chain transfer agent and said polymerization-retarding agent into a reaction zone to form a reaction mixture;
• f) intimately intermixing the reaction mixture in said reaction zone;
• g) optionally adding a modifier;
• h) maintaining the reaction mixture in its intimately intermixed condition to thereby cause the isobutylene therein to undergo polymerization to form polyisobutylene;
• i) withdrawing a product stream comprising low molecular weight, highly reactive polyisobutylene from said reaction zone;
• and
• j) derivatizing the low molecular weight, highly reactive polyisobutylene to form a product selected from the group consisting of:
• alkyl hydroxyaromatic compounds;
• alkyl alkoxy aromatic compounds;
• polyisobutenylsuccinic anhydrides;
• polyisobutenylsuccinimides;
• PIB-amine compounds;
• sulfurized PIB compounds;
• and Mannich condensation products of an alkylated hydroxyaromatic compound.

A method of preparing a derivative of a PIB composition suitable for use as a fuel or lubricant additive comprising:

• (a) preparing a reactive low molecular weight polyisobutylene composition comprising at least 50 mol percent alpha vinylidene terminated polyisobutylene molecules, the composition having a polydispersity of no more than 1.5 and a number average molecular weight of at least 500 Daltons and no more than 1000 Daltons;
• and
• (b) derivatizing said PIB composition to form a reaction product selected from the group consisting of:
• alkyl hydroxyaromatic compounds;
• alkyl alkoxy aromatic compounds;
• polyisobutenylsuccinic anhydrides;
• polyisobutenylsuccinimides;
• PIB-amine compounds;
• sulfurized PIB compounds;
• and Mannich condensation products of an alkylated hydroxyaromatic compound.