Process for oligomerizing C.sub.3 and higher olefins using zirconium adducts as catalysts (CS-467)

A process for conducting the oligomerization of C.sub.3 and higher olefins which comprises oligomerizing said olefins in the presence of a homogeneous two component catalyst, the first component being an adduct of ZrCl.sub.a Br.sub.b, where a+b=4 and a or b may be 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, with an organic compound selected from the group consisting of esters, ketones, ethers, amines, nitriles, anhydrides, acid chlorides, amides or aldehydes, said organic compound having up to 30 carbon atoms and the second component being an alkyl metal catalyst selected from the group consisting of R.sub.2 AlX, RAlX.sub.2, R.sub.3 Al.sub.2 X.sub.3, R.sub.3 Al and R.sub.2 Zn wherein R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl and X is Cl or Br, the oligomerization being conducted in a reactor vessel at 50.degree. C. to 300.degree. C. at a pressure of about 15 to 5000 psig in the liquid phase, with the presence of water in the reactor vessel being minimized such that the ratio of moles of zirconium to moles of water is at least 10 to 1.