| abstract |
An improved process for the manufacture of synthetic lubricant additives from olefins having two or three carbon atoms is described. The low molecular weight olefins are converted to internal olefins having 9 to 24 carbon atoms via isomerization and disproportionation. The process utilizes boron trifluoride catalysis with a promoter to produce from the C9-C24 internal olefins oligomer mixtures that have surprisingly low viscosities at low temperatures and surprisingly high viscosity indexes as compared with the oligomers found in other methods. It is important that internal olefins be used almost exclusively in the second step of the method of this invention. |