| abstract |
The invention provides gasoline additive compositions comprising solutions of at least one fuel-soluble platinum group metal compound in a solvent miscible in the gasoline, the platinum group metal complex being present in an amount sufficient to supply from 0.01 to 1.0 parts per million of the platinum group metal when added to a predetermined amount of gasoline. Preferred solvents are oxygenated hydrocarbons such as ethanol, tetrahydrofuran, and methyl tertiary butyl ether, and will preferably be employed in amounts of less than 5% of the weight of the gasoline to provide oxygen and the metal at a weight ratio of from 1,000:1 to 100,000:1. Especially preferred compounds are those of the formula: X MII R2 wherein X is a cyclooctadienyl ligand; M is a platinum group metal; and R is benzyl, phenyl or nitrobenzyl. The additive compositions and fuel treated therewith improve operating efficiency of internal combustion engines in terms of increased power output per unit of fuel burned and reduce the emissions of particulates and noxious gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen monoxide. The additives provide beneficial results upon immediate use and over long periods of continuous use. |