# US 9,040,645 B2 · Catalyst system for heterogenous catalysis of an isobutylene polymerization reaction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,040,645 B2 - Document ID: US9040645B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/262,263 - Filed: 2014-04-25 - Published: 2014-10-02 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2010-03-11 - Assignees: Petrochemical Supply, Inc. - Applicants: C. Edward Baxter, Jr. - Inventors: C. Edward Baxter, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040645B2 ## CPC - C08F 110/10: Isobutene - C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS ## Abstract A method for preparing a catalyst system for heterogenous catalysis of an isobutylene polymerization reaction includes the steps of forming an alumina support in which the alumina support has pores formed therein, and reacting BF3/methanol catalyst complex with the alumina support. The ratio of methanol to BF3 in the catalyst complex ranges from 0.5 moles to 2 moles of methanol per mole of BF3. The alumina support is formed so as to have pores each having a diameter of greater than twenty nanometers. The alumina support can be in the form of beads or extrudates having a length significantly greater than a diameter. The extrudate can also have a tri-lobe configuration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for preparing a catalyst system for heterogenous catalysis of an isobutylene polymerization reaction, the method comprising: forming an alumina support in which said alumina support has pores formed therein, each of the pores has a diameter of greater than 20 nanometers; and reacting a BF3/methanol catalyst complex with said alumina support, wherein a ratio of methanol to BF3 in said catalyst complex ranges from 0.5 moles of methanol per mole of BF3 to 2 moles of methanol per mole of BF3, wherein a concentration of said catalyst complex on said alumina support ranges between 10% and 40% by weight. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the step of forming comprising: forming said alumina support into a bead form. ### Claim 3 A method for preparing a catalyst system for heterogenous catalysis of an isobutylene polymerization reaction, the method comprising: forming an alumina support in which said alumina support has pores formed therein; and reacting a BF3/methanol catalyst complex with said alumina support, wherein a ratio of methanol to BF3 in said catalyst complex ranges from 0.5 moles of methanol per mole of BF3 to 2 moles of methanol per mole of BF3, wherein a concentration of said catalyst complex on said alumina support ranges between 10% and 40% by weight, the step of forming comprising: extruding said alumina support so as to have a significantly greater length dimension than a diameter dimension. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, the extruded alumina support having the pores each having a diameter greater than 20 nanometers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, the extruded alumina support having a tri-lobe configuration in a cross section transverse to the length dimension. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, the extruded alumina support being of a cylindrical shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, said alumina support being formed of amorphous alumina. ### Claim 8 A method for preparing a catalyst system for heterogenous catalysis of an isobutylene polymerization reaction, the method comprising: forming an alumina support in which said alumina support has pores formed therein; and reacting a BF3/methanol catalyst complex with said alumina support, wherein a ratio of methanol to BF3 in said catalyst complex ranges from 0.5 moles of methanol per mole of BF3 to 2 moles of methanol per mole of BF3, wherein a concentration of said catalyst complex on said alumina support ranges between 10% and 40% by weight, said alumina support being in a fixed bed, the step of reacting occurring in said fixed bed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the step of reacting comprising a reaction selected from the group consisting of Friedel-Crafts alkylantion, phenol alkylation, olefin dimerization, olefin oligomerization, olefin polymerization, propylene oligomerization, propylene polymerization, butylene dimerization, butylene oligomerization, isobutylene dimerization, isobutylene oligomerization, butylene polymerization, isobutylene polymerization and isoparaffin alkylation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the concentration of said catalyst complex on said alumina support ranges between 30% to 40% by weight. ### Claim 11 A method for preparing a catalyst system for heterogenous catalysis of an isobutylene polymerization reaction, the method comprising: forming an alumina support in which said alumina support has pores formed therein; reacting a BF3/methanol catalyst complex with said alumina support, wherein a ratio of methanol to BF3 in said catalyst complex ranges from 0.5 moles of methanol per mole of BF3 to 2 moles of methanol per mole of BF3, wherein a concentration of said catalyst complex on said alumina support ranges between 10% and 40% by weight; and forming isobutylene as a result of the step of reacting. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: polymerizing the isobutylene so as to form a polyisobutylene product. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, said alumina support formed substantially entirely of alumina. ### Claim 14 A method for preparing a catalyst system for heterogenous catalization of an isobutylene polymerization reaction, the method comprising: forming an alumina support having a plurality of alumina elements therein in which each of said plurality of alumina elements has pores formed therein, the step of forming comprising extruding said alumina support so as to have a significantly greater length dimension than a diameter dimension; and reacting a BF3/methanol catalyst complex with said alumina support, wherein a ration of methanol to BF3 in said catalyst complex ranges from 0.5 moles of methanol per mole of BF3 to 2 moles of methanol per mole of BF3. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, the extruded alumina support having the pores each having a diameter greater than 20 nanometers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, said alumina support formed of amorphous alumina. ### Claim 17 A method for preparing a catalyst system for heterogenous catalization of an isobutylene polymerization reaction, the method comprising: forming an alumina support having a plurality of alumina elements therein in which each of said plurality of alumina elements has pores formed therein; reacting a BF3/methanol catalyst complex with said alumina support, wherein a ration of methanol to BF3 in said catalyst complex ranges from 0.5 moles of methanol per mole of BF3 to 2 moles of methanol per mole of BF3; and placing said plurality of alumina elements into a fixed bed, the step of reacting occurring in said fixed bed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, each of said plurality of alumina elements being formed substantially entirely of alumina.