Sec-ylbiphenyl composition and process for preparing the same

A process for preparing a water-white, essentially odorless liquid product useful as a dielectric oil and as a dye solvent, consisting essentially of about 82% to about 88% by weight of mono-sec-butylbiphenyl and about 12% to about 18% of di-sec-butylbiphenyl which comprises reacting highly pure 1-butene or 2-butene with biphenyl at a mol ratio of butene to biphenyl of from about 0.5 to about 0.9 and at a temperature between about 250.degree. and about 475.degree. F. in the presence of an aluminum chloride catalyst, distilling the reaction product under vacuum to remove unreacted biphenyl and thereafter distilling off the liquid product mixture at a temperature between about 370.degree. F. and about 440.degree. F. at 300 mm Hg. pressure or the equivalent thereof.

A process for preparing a water-white, essentially odorless liquid product useful as a dielectric oil and as a dye solvent, consisting essentially of about 85% by weight of mono-sec-butylbiphenyl and about 15% of de-secbutylbiphenyl prepared which comprises reacting highly pure 1-butene or 2-butene, or their admixture with biphenyl at a mol ratio of butene to biphenyl of from about 0.75 and at a temperature of about 250.degree. F. in the presence of an aluminum chloride complex catalyst, distilling the reaction product under vacuum at a temperature between about 296.degree. and 340.degree. F. to remove unreacted biphenyl and thereafter distilling off the liquid product mixture at a temperature between about 370.degree. and about 440.degree. F. at about 30 mm Hg pressure.