Stabilization of polymers with styrenated-p-cresols

1. A process for the preparation of a mixture of styrenated p-cresol species that is liquid at room temperature and has a viscosity of less than 40,000 cps at 25° C., wherein said process affords 2,6-distyrenated p-cresol assaying at 70% minimum by GC area percent, comprising reacting styrene with p-cresol at a molar ratio of 1.85 to 2.1:1, respectively, in the presence of an acid catalyst at a temperature ranging from about 40° C. to about 150° C., wherein said mixture comprises monostyrenated-p-cresol, distyrenated-p-cresol, and tristyrenated-p-cresol and exhibits an acid number of less than 0.1 mg KOH/gram.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said process affords 2,6-distyrenated p-cresol assaying in the range of from about 80 to about 90% by GC area percent.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the acid number is less than 0.01 mg KOH/gram.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the acid catalyst is a Bronsted or Lewis acid.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the acid catalyst is trifluoromethane sulfonic acid.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the mixture has an APHA value of less than 150.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the 2,6-distyrenated-p-cresol is present in a concentration of 75% minimum by GC area, based on the total area of the monostyrenated-p-cresol, distyrenated-p-cresol, and tristyrenated-p-cresol.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the 2,6-distyrenated-p-cresol is present in a concentration of from about 80 to about 95% by GC area, based on the total area of the monostyrenated-p-cresol, distyrenated-p-cresol, and tristyrenated-p-cresol.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the monostyrenated-p-cresol and tristyrenated-p-cresol are each present in a concentration in the range of from about 1 to about 15% by GC area based on the total area of the monostyrenated-p-cresol, distyrenated-p-cresol, and tristyrenated-p-cresol.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein the GC area percentage of the combination of the monostyrenated-p-cresol and tristyrenated-p-cresol components will be in the range of from about 5 to about 30 percent by area, based on the total area of the monostyrenated-p-cresol, distyrenated-p-cresol, and tristyrenated-p-cresol.

11. A method for stabilizing a polymeric composition comprising including in said composition an effective amount of a mixture of styrenated p-cresol species that is liquid at room temperature and has a viscosity of less than 40,000 cps at 25° C., wherein said mixture is prepared by a process yielding 2,6-distyryl-p-cresol with an assay of 70% minimum by GC area and comprises reacting styrene with p-cresol at a molar ratio of 1.85 to 2.1:1, respectively, in the presence of an acid catalyst at a temperature ranging from about 40° C. to about 150° C., wherein said mixture comprises monostyrenated p-cresol, distyrenated-p-cresol, and tristyrenated p-cresol and exhibits an acid number of less than 0.1 mg KOH/gram.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the distyrenated-p-cresol is present in a concentration of 75% minimum by GC area, based on the total area of the monostyrenated-p-cresol, distyrenated-p-cresol, and tristyrenated-p-cresol.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the polymeric composition comprises a polyol or a polyurethane and the stabilized composition exhibits low fog.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the distyrenated-p-cresol is present in a concentration of from about 80 to about 95% by GC area, based on the total area of the monostyrenated-p-cresol, distyrenated-p-cresol, and tristyrenated-p-cresol.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the monostyrenated-p-cresol and tristyrenated-p-cresol are each present in a concentration in the range of from about 1 to about 15% by GC area based on the total area of the monostyrenated-p-cresol, distyrenated-p-cresol, and tristyrenated-p-cresol.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the GC area percentage of the combination of the monostyrenated-p-cresol and tristyrenated-p-cresol components will be in the range of from about 5 to about 30 percent by area, based on the total area of the monostyrenated-p-cresol, distyrenated-p-cresol, and tristyrenated-p-cresol.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the composition further comprises a co-stabilizer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, PVC, polyurethanes, polyols, and elastomers.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the elastomer is styrene-butadiene rubber.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the co-stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of phenolics, phosphites, diaryl amines, and epoxidized vegetable oils.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the co-stabilizer is an organophosphite.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the co-stabilizer is a dialkylated diphenylamine.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the co-stabilizer is co-stabilizer is epoxidized soybean oil.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the organophosphite is tris(nonylphenyl)phosphite.

25. A composition comprising a mixture of styrenated p-cresol species that is liquid at room temperature, has a viscosity of less than 40,000 cps at 25° C., comprising 2,6-distyrenated p-cresol assaying at 70% minimum by GC area percent prepared by a process comprising reacting styrene with p-cresol at a molar ratio of 1.85 to 2.1:1, respectively, in the presence of an acid catalyst at a temperature ranging from about 40° C. to about 150° C., wherein said mixture comprises monostyrenated-p-cresol, distyrenated-p-cresol, and tristyrenated-p-cresol and exhibits an acid number of less than 0.1 mg KOH/gram.

26. The composition of claim 25 wherein the mixture has an APHA value of less than 150.

27. The composition of claim 26 wherein the monostyrenated-p-cresol and tristyrenated-p-cresol are each present in a concentration in the range of from about 1 to about 15% by GC area based on the total area of the monostyrenated-p-cresol, distyrenated-p-cresol, and tristyrenated-p-cresol and the acid number is less than 0.01 mg KOH/gram.