Isomerization catalyst and process

A process for isomerizing a mixture of olefins containing in the range of about 8-24 carbon atoms, said mixture of olefins consisting essentially of 50 to 95 weight percent of vinyl olefins and 5 to 50 weight percent of vinylidene olefins and a minor amount of internal olefins, said process comprising heating said mixture of olefins in contact with a catalytic amount of i) an aluminum compound of the formula R.sup.3.sub.n Al(OR.sup.4).sub.p wherein R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are the same or different and are alkyl, n is from 0.75 to 1.75, and p is from 1.25 to 2.25, the sum of n and p being 3, and ii) a cobalt (II) salt of an organic carboxylic acid or reduced form thereof, at a temperature of about 160.degree. C. to 180.degree. C. until a substantial amount of said vinyl olefins have isomerized to form isomerized internal olefins, said process being characterized in that said isomerized internal olefins which are formed from said vinyl olefins are mainly internal olefins containing in the range of 8-24 carbon atoms and have the structure

• X--CH.dbd.CH--Y
• and only a minor amount of tri-substituted internal olefins having the structure ##STR7## wherein X, Y, M and T are aliphatic hydrocarbon groups such that X plus Y contain in the range of about 6-22 carbon atoms and M plus T contain in the range of about 4-20 carbon atoms.

An isomerization catalyst composition composed of i) an alkyl aluminum alkoxide of the formula R.sup.3.sub.n Al(OR.sup.4).sub.p where R3 and R4 are the same or different and are alkyl, n is from 0.75 to 1.85, p is from 1.15 to 2.25 and the sum of n and p is 3, and ii) a cobalt carboxylate or reduced form thereof.

An isomerization catalyst composition comprising i) alkyl aluminum alkoxide of the formula R.sup.3.sub.n Al(OR.sup.4).sub.p where R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are the same or different and are alkyl, n is in the range of from 0.75 to 1.85, p is in the range of from 1.15 to 2.25 and the sum of n and p is 3, and ii) a cobalt-containing residue, said catalyst formed by reacting aluminum trialkyl with cobalt carboxylate in relative proportions to yield said alkoxide while reducing said carboxylate, said proportions being calculated using as the basis for the calculation the assumption that each carboxylate group provides two oxygen atoms that convert two alkyl groups of the aluminum alkyl to two alkoxide groups per aluminum atom present.

A catalyst composition effective for isomerizing alpha-olefin to internal olefin which comprises the combination of an alkyl aluminum alkoxide and a cobalt salt of an organic carboxylic acid or reduced form of such cobalt salt wherein the number of alkoxide groups in said alkyl aluminum alkoxide is sufficiently greater than 1 and sufficiently less than 3 per aluminum atom to provide an active catalyst for catalyzing such isomerization.