Continuous process for preparing aluminum alkyls and linear 1-olefins from internal olefins

A continuous process for making a 1-olefin compound from an internal olefin, said process comprising:

• (a) continuously introducing a linear internal olefin containing 4 to about 30 carbon atoms, or a mixture of such internal olefins, and a trialkyl aluminum, in a mole ratio of linear internal olefin to trialkyl aluminum of about 1-50/1, into a reaction zone in the presence of a catalytic amount of an isomerization catalyst so as to (i) cause isomerization of the internal olefinic double bond to form at least some linear 1-olefin and (ii) cause the linear 1-olefin so formed to displace alkyl groups from said trialkyl aluminum and form an alkyl aluminum compound, wherein at least one of the alkyl groups bound to aluminum is a linear alkyl group derived from said linear 1-olefin, and displaced olefin corresponding to said displaced alkyl groups,
• (b) continuously removing said displaced olefin and reaction mixture containing said alkyl aluminum compound from said reaction zone, and
• (c) reacting said alkyl aluminum compound with a 1-olefin in a displacement zone so as to displace said linear alkyl from said alkyl aluminum compound and form a free linear 1-olefin compound.