A process for the preparation of a polyisobutenylsuccinimide product, comprising reacting a polyisobutene with maleic acid, maleic anhydride or a functional derivative thereof to give a polyisobutenylsuccinic anhydride and then reacting the polyisobutenylsuccinic anhydride with an oligoamine or polyamine, wherein the polyisobutenylsuccinic anhydride is either
- (a) first reacted with a C1-C16-alcohol or phenol and, without isolation of the reaction product, then with the oligoamine or polyamine, and unreacted or cleaved alcohol, or unreacted or cleaved phenol, is then optionally removed, or
- (b) reacted with the oligoamine or polyamine in the presence of the alcohol or phenol as a reactant, and unreacted or cleaved alcohol, or unreacted or cleaved phenol, is then optionally removed,
- wherein the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of monohydric alcohols of the formula ROH, where R is straight-chain or branched, cyclic or branched cyclic alkyl of 1 to 16 carbon atoms.