Preparation of alpha-olefin oligomer synthetic lubricant

The process for skeletally isomerizing a liquid alpha-olefin oligomer comprising the trimer, tetramer, pentamer or mixtures thereof of a normal 1-olefin selected from 1-octene, 1-decene, 1-dodecene or a mixture thereof prepared by the cationic oligomerization of said 1-olefin which comprises introducing the liquid alpha-olefin oligomer into the top of a column packed with pellets of a metallic hydrogenation catalyst in the presence of hydrogen at a pressure and a temperature suitable for hydrogenation and permitting the liquid oligomer to trickle through said catalyst bed over the surface of said catalyst, whereby the liquid is substantially present in said column as a thin film on said catalyst pellets.