| abstract |
The application relates to a process for the oligomerization of aromatic or alicyclic hydrocarbons by means of a complex made up of BF3 and a cocatalyst. The aromatic hydrocarbon may preferably be styrene, alpha-methyl styrene, or a mixture thereof, and the alicyclic hydrocarbon may be vinyl cyclohexane, vinyl cyclohexene, allyl cyclohexane, allyl cyclohexene, or a mixture thereof. The cocatalyst is an aliphatic alcohol, carboxylic acid, or inorganic acid. The oligomerization may be performed with or without a medium, at a temperature above 0 °C, the pressure being adjusted by means of BF3 to 1 - 10 bar. An oligomer prepared by the process can be used as a solvent or an additive in fuels or lubricants, in surfactants, in white oils and cosmetic oils requiring extra purity, and in PVC and polyolefin plastics. In polyester and vinyl ester resins this oligomer can be used to replace in part a monomer (e.g. styrene), thus reducing the evaporation of monomer, and to inhibit shrinkage at the hardening stage, and it also improves the optical properties of the said resins. |