Olefin polymerization is conducted with a Ziegler-Natta catalyst in which unreacted monomer is recycled to the reactor. The recycle line contains a supported nickel or nickel oxide to purify the unreacted monomer before its return to the reactor, and results in improved catalyst activity and more control over physical properties of the product.
The present invention relates to a continuous high molecular weight, amorphous polymer-producing process which includes a reactor design, an unreacted monomer and solvent recycling and purification system, a catalyst deactivation and polymer stabilization system, and a polymer isolation process. The present invention relates to the discovery of a continuous process for the production of polymers. The discovery relates particularly to Ziegler-Natta synthesis of amorphous polymers from .alpha.-olefins. In the inventive method, it was discovered that reconfiguration of process streams for the purposes of the product stabilization and catalyst deactivation led to elimination of the need for an elaborate absorption bed train to purify recycled components. Additionally, reconfiguration of process streams resulted in an improvement of process yield where recycled solvent and unreacted monomer previously caused process yield to be marginal in comparison to using entirely new feedstocks. The present invention also comprises a preferred embodiment of the synthesis of polyoctene, the separation of polyoctene from unreacted octene monomer and unreactive hydrocarbon solvent, and the deactivation of polymerization catalyst.
A method of making a higher olefin product from a C.sub.4.sup.+ fraction separated from the hydrocarbon product produced by an oxygenate to olefin reaction unit. The C.sub.4.sup.+ fraction primarily contains butenes which may be directed to a higher olefin reaction unit without removing isobutenes, butanes, and/or butadiene. The C.sub.4.sup.+ fraction is particularly well suited for the production of higher olefins because of its high olefin content, low branching number, and low contaminent levels. The invention is also directed to an olefin product composition that is produced by contacting the C.sub.4.sup.+ fraction with an oligomerization catalyst. The olefin composition is characterized by a relatively high octene content, and octene with a branching number less than 1.4.
Disclosed is an olefin containing stream from an oxygenate to olefin process, and a process for making olefin dimer and oligomer product from the olefin containing stream using a nickel based oligomerization catalyst. The dimer/oligomer product is optionally converted to hydroformylated product. The olefin containing stream that is used to make the higher olefin product has low levels of impurities including nitrogen, sulfur and/or chlorine.
This invention is to a method of oligomerizing an olefin feed stream. The olefin feed stream contains at least one C.sub.2 to C.sub.12 olefin to obtain an olefin feed stream and has less than 1,000 ppm by weight oxygenated hydrocarbon. The olefin is oligomerized by contacting with an acid based oligomerization catalyst.
A method of making a higher olefin product from a C.sub.4.sup.+ fraction separated from the hydrocarbon product produced by an oxygenate to olefin reaction unit. The C.sub.4.sup.+ fraction primarily contains butenes which may be directed to a higher olefin reaction unit without removing isobutenes, butanes, and/or butadiene. The C.sub.4.sup.+ fraction is particularly well suited for the production of higher olefins because of its high olefin content, low branching number, and low contaminent levels. The invention is also directed to an olefin product composition that is produced by contacting the C.sub.4.sup.+ fraction with an oligomerization catalyst. The olefin composition is characterized by a relatively high octene content, and octene with a branching number less than 1.4.
