Ethylene alpha-olefin polymer substituted mono-and dicarboxylic acid dispersant additives

A process for producing an oil soluble mixture useful as a dispersant additive in oleaginous compositions, comprising the steps of:

• (A) forming an ethylene alpha-olefin polymer substituted with mono- or dicarboxylic acid producing moieties;
• and
• (B) contacting the substituted polymer with a nucleophilic reagent under conditions effective to form an adduct of said substituted polymer and said nucleophilic reagent;
• wherein said substituted polymer comprises monomer units derived from ethylene and at least one alpha-olefin of the formula H.sub.2 C.dbd.CHR.sup.1 wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl group of from 1 to 18 carbon atoms;
• wherein the ethylene alpha-olefin starting polymer, prior to being substituted with said mono- or dicarboxylic acid producing moieties, has a number average molecular weight of from about 300 to 15,000, a molar ethylene content of from about 20 to about 80 percent, and less than 5 percent by weight of polymer molecules having a molecular weight of less than about 300, and wherein an average of at least about 30% of said starting polymer chains contain terminal ethenylidene unsaturation;
• said mon- or dicarboxylic acid producing moieties being derived from at least one monounsaturated carboxylic reactant selected from the group consisting of monounsaturated C.sub.4 to C.sub.10 dicarboxylic acid producing moieties, monounsaturated C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 monocarboxylic acid producing moieties and derivatives thereof;
• and
• said nucleophilic reagent being selected from the group consisting of amines, alcohols, metal reactants and mixtures thereof.

A process for producing an additive useful in oleaginous compositions, which comprises:

• (A) treating ethylene alpha-olefin starting polymer comprising monomer units derived from ethylene and at least one alpha-olefin of the formula H.sub.2 C.dbd.CHR.sup.1 wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl group of from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, and containing at least about 5 wt % of a low molecular weight polymer fraction comprising polymer chains having a molecular weight of less than about 300 under conditions and for a time sufficient to remove at least a portion of said low molecular weight fraction, to provide a treated polymer containing less than about 5 wt % of said low molecular weight function, wherein said treated polymer has a number average molecular weight of between about 700 and 15,000 and a molar ethylene content of from about 20 to about 80 percent, and wherein an average of at least about 30% of the polymer chains of the ethylene alpa-olefin starting polymer contain terminal ethenylidene unsaturation;
• (b) contacting said treated polymer with at least one monounsaturated carboxylic reactant selected from the group consisting of (i) monounsaturated C.sub.4 to C.sub.10 dicarboxylic acids wherein (a) the carboxyl groups are attached to adjacent carbon atoms and (b) at least one of said adjacent carbon atoms is part of said monounsaturation;
• (ii) anhydride or C.sub.1 to C.sub.5 alcohol derived mono- or di-ester derivatives of (i);
• (iii) monounsaturated C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 monocarboxylic acids wherein the carbon-carbon double bond is allylic to the carboxy group;
• and (iv) C.sub.1 to C.sub.5 alcohol derived mono- or di-ester derivatives of (iii) under thermal "ene reaction conditions and for a time sufficient to form a product mixture containing ethylene alpha-olefin polymer substituted with said carboxylic acid producing moieties;
• and
• (C) contacting said product mixture from (B) with at least one nucleophilic reagent selected from the group consisting of amines, alcohols, metal reactants and mixtures thereof under conditions effective to form said oil soluble dispersant mixture.

A process for producing a dispersant additive useful in oleaginous compositions which comprises:

• (I) contacting (A) ethylene alpha-olefin starting polymer comprising monomer units derived from ethylene and at least one alpha-olefin of the formula H.sub.2 C.dbd.CHR.sup.1 wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl group of from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, said polymer having a number average molecular weight of between about 700 and 15,000, a molar ethylene content of from about 20 to about 80 percent, and less than about 5 percent by weight of a low molecular weight polymer fraction comprising polymer molecules having a molecular weight of less than about 300, and wherein an average of at least about 30% of said starting polymer chains contain terminal ethenylidene unsaturation;
• with (B) halogenating reactant under conditions effective to form a first intermediate product mixture containing halogenated starting polymer;
• then
• (II) contacting said first intermediate mixture with (C) at least one monounsaturated carboxylic reactant selected from the group consisting of monounsaturated C.sub.4 to C.sub.10 dicarboxylic acid producing moieties, C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 monocarboxylic acids producing moieties and derivatives thereof, under reaction conditions effective to form a second intermediate product mixture containing ethylene alpha-olefin polymer substituted with carboxylic acid moieties, wherein said second intermediate product mixture has a VR value of not greater than about 4.1 and the functionality of the substituted polymer is from about 0.5 to 2;
• and then
• (III) contacting said second intermediate product mixture with (D) at least one nucleophilic reagent selected from the group consisting of amines, alcohols, metal reactants and mixtures thereof to produce a dispersant additive product mixture, said dispersant additive having a VR' value of less than about 4.1.

A process for producing a dispersant additive useful in oleaginous compositions which comprises:

• simultaneously contacting ethylene alpha-olefin starting polymer, halogenating reactant and monounsaturated carboxylic acid producing reactant under reaction conditions effective to form an intermediate product mixture containing ethylene alpha-olefin polymer substituted with carboxylic acid moieties;
• wherein said ethylene alpha-olefin starting polymer (i) comprises monomer units derived from ethylene and at least one alpha-olefin of the formula H.sub.2 C.dbd.CHR.sup.1 wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl group of from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, and (ii) contains less than about 5 wt % of a low molecular weight polymer fraction comprising polymer chains having a molecular weight of less than about 300, (iii) has a number average molecular weight of about 700 to about 15,000, (iv) has a molar ethylene content of from about 20 to about 80 percent, and (v) contains an average of at least about 30% of polymer chains having terminal ethenylidene unsaturation;
• wherein said monounsaturated carboxylic acid producing reactant comprises a member selected from the group consisting of monounsaturated C.sub.4 to C.sub.10 dicarboxylic acids producing moieties, C.sub.3 to C.sub.10 monocarboxylic acid producing moieties and derivatives thereof;
• wherein said intermediate product mixture has a VR value of not greater than about 4.1;
• and wherein said polymer substituted with carboxylic acid moieties has a functionality of about 0.5 to 2;
• and then contacting said intermediate product mixture with at least one nucleophilic reagent selected from the group consisting of amines, alcohols, metal reactants and mixtures thereof;
• said dispersant additive having a VR value of less than 4.1.