PROCESS FOR SYNTHESIS OF POLYALPHAOLEFIN AND REMOVAL OF RESIDUAL CATALYST COMPONENTS
A process for reducing the level of residual catalyst comprising one or more 1-halo-2-methylpropanes and a Group 13 metal catalyst from a crude polyolefins product, the process comprising contacting the crude organic product with a solid adsorbent in an adsorbent system. Also provided is a co-catalyst system for polymerizing alpha olefins.
1 . A process for synthesizing polyalphaolefin, comprising:
polymerizing an alpha olefin monomer in the presence of a catalyst system under polymerization conditions, wherein the catalyst system comprises a Group 13 metal catalyst and a 1-halo-2-methylpropane.
2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the 1-halo-2-methylpropane is selected from the group consisting of 1-chloro-2-methylpropane, 1-bromo-2-methylpropane, or 1-iodo-2-methylpropane.
3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the Group 13 metal catalyst is an alkyl-aluminum compound.
4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the Group 13 metal catalyst is selected from the group consisting of trimethylaluminum, triethylaluminum, diethyl(propyl)aluminum, diethyl(butyl)aluminum, ethyl(dipropyl)aluminum, ethyl(dibutyl)aluminum tripropylaluminum, triisopropylaluminum, and tributylaluminum.
5 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of metal in the Group 13 metal catalyst to halide in the alkyl halide is from 1:2 to 1:16.
6 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the concentration of Group 13 metal catalyst present during polymerization is from 0.1 to 4.0 wt %, based on the total weight of reactants.
7 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the concentration of alkyl halide present during polymerization is from 0.5 to 6.0 wt %, based on the total weight of reactants.
8 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the alpha olefin monomer is 1-decene.
9 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising the step of reducing from the polyalphaolefin a residual level of the co-catalyst system used to form the polyalphaolefin, by
contacting the polyalphaolefin with a treatment comprising a solid adsorbent selected from the group consisting of an oxide or hydroxide of magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, sodium and potassium.
10 . The process of claim 9 , wherein contacting the polyalphaolefin with a treatment comprising a solid adsorbent is done on a fixed bed.
11 . The process of claim 9 , further comprising filtering the polyalphaolefin to remove a metal of the co-catalyst system.
12 . The process of claim 9 , wherein the solid adsorbent is calcium oxide.
13 . The process of claim 9 , further comprising adding a diluent to the polyalphaolefin.
14 . The process of claim 9 , wherein residual metal is present in the polyalphaolefin in an amount less than 10 ppm.
15 . The process of claim 9 , wherein filtering the polyalphaolefin further removes a halide of the catalyst system.
16 . The process of claim 13 , wherein residual halide is present in the polyalphaolefin in an amount less than 3000 ppm.
17 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the polyalphaolefin has a kinematic viscosity @ 100° C. greater than 90 cSt.
18 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the polyalphaolefin has a kinematic viscosity @ 100° C. from 90 to 2000 cSt.