Process for producing a branched hydrocarbon component

Process for producing base oil, characterized in that

• a) feedstock comprising at least one alcohol selected from the group consisting of primary and secondary saturated and unsaturated C1-C40 monohydroxy alcohols, diols, and polyols, is condensed in the presence of a basic catalyst at a temperature ranging from 200 to 300° C. to obtain a condensation product comprising branched monofunctional and branched poly-functional alcohols, respectively,
• b) the condensation product is hydrodeoxygenated in the presence of a hydrodeoxygenation catalyst under a hydrogen pressure ranging from 0.1 to 20 MPa at a temperature ranging from 100 to 500° C. to obtain a saturated hydrocarbon, and then
• c) the non-branched carbon chains of the hydrodeoxygenated product are hydroisomerized in the presesence of an isomerization catalyst under a hydrogen pressure ranging from 0.1 to 20 MPa at a temperature ranging from 100 to 500° C.
• to obtain a base oil, wherein said base oil comprises:
• i) branched hydrocarbons having carbon numbers of at least C18,
• ii) at least 90% by weight of saturated hydrocarbons,
• iii) mononaphthenes not more than 15% by weight
• iv) fused dinaphthenes and polynaphthenes not more than 1% by weight, and
• v) at least 60% by weight of the saturated hydrocarbons are within the carbon number range of no more than 5.