Q 2,255,595
' ‘Patented Sept. 9,.1941
‘UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
2,255,396
’
cum/near. rRooEss
I
William J. Sparks, Alexandriayvaa and‘ Clifford
W.‘ Muessig, Union, N. _J., assignors to Standard
Oil Development Company, a corporation of -
Delaware
No Drawing. Application December 21, 1939,
Serial No. 310,404
15 Claims.
(Cl. 252-59)
This invention relates to mixed polymers. or
lene (boiling point 142° C.) are mixed'at a tem
perature below about -50° 0., the temperature
being preferably below —73° C. ‘The mixed
liquid substances are then treated with a catalyst
consisting of aluminum chloride dissolved in
methyl or ethyl chloride which has been previ
ously chilled .to the same temperature. The
interpolymers, and relates particularly to high
molecular weight polymers containing both an
ole?n such as isobutylene and an aryl substi
tuted acetylene such as phenyl acetylene.
A low temperature technique for the polymeri- ‘
‘ zation of isoole?ns such as isobutylene by the
application of boron tri?uoride has been devel
catalyst solution is desirably added as a ?ne
oped ‘which produces polymers having molecular
spray onto the surface of ,the rapidly stirre'd mix
ture. The polymerization occurs rapidly to pro
weights ranging from about 1,000 up to 250,000
or more, varying in large degree according to
duce the desired polymer.
the lowness‘ of the temperature and the purity
of the isobutylene. The resulting polymers of
_'I8° C. by the admixture therewith of an ex
cess ofvsolid carbon dioxide. When the desired
low temperature of -78° C. was reached, the
catalyst consisting of a solution of aluminum
chloride in ethyl chloride in the proportion of
approximately 0.7% by weight was added to the
of isobutylene'and another polymerizable sub
stance. In most instances, the, diil’erences in
polymerization characteristics of the mixed sub
stances are so great that only unmixed polymers
of the more easily polymerizablé constituent of
the mixture are produced, and this has particu
larly been found to be the case with‘mixtures
of isobutylene and acetylene, which to the present
have been found to be impossible of mixed poly
merization, in spite of the relative ease of poly
merization of the respective pure substances.
The present invention produces a mixed poly
this type from, for instance,‘ isobutylene and
phenyl acetylene can be produced by the poly
merization of mixtures of isobutylenev and phenyl
acetylene at low temperatures by the application
thereto “of a Friedel-Crafts type catalyst, espe
I
A mixture of 50 parts of phenyl acetylene and
50 parts of isobutylene by weight were cooled to‘
characteristics, but their properties are not sat
isfactory for all possible uses. Attempts have
been made to modify the characteristics of such
polymers by a process of mixed polymerization
aryl acetylene derivative of the type of phenyl
acetylene. It is found that mixed polymers of
'
Example 1
pure isobutylene have a great many vvaluable ‘
mer of an isoole?n such as isobutylene and an
.
aryl substituted acetylene such as phenyl acety
chilled liquid mixture as a ?ne spray while stir
v
ring rapidly. The polymerization reaction oc
curred rapidly to yield a polymer which is a
white solid, insoluble in the polymerization mix
ture. The polymer was r‘emoved' from the re
action chamber after ?rst quenching the catalyst.
by the addition of isopropyl alcohol. It was then
washed with hot water followed by a weak alka
line wash to remove the last traces of the catalyst
and its hydrolytic products.
-
'
_
‘ Various modi?cations .are readily possible in
the above example. The solid carbon dioxide
»' which serves as the cooling agent may be replaced
by a diluent-refrigerant such as liquid propane
or liquid ethylene, or a separate diluent may be
usedsuch as ethyl or methyl chloride or propane
or other similar substances together with solid
cially a catalyst in the form of aluminum
chloride dissolved in an alkyl halide. By adjust 40 carbon dioxide either in powdered or lump form
,for the cooling material.
~
ment of the proportions of isobutylene and
The
catalyst
in
the
above
example
is
added
in
phenyl acetylene, the proportion of the sub
the form ofaspray and is the preferred proce
stances in the mixed molecule can be controlled.
dure.‘ Alternatively, however, the catalyst may
and in addition the ultimate ‘molecular weight
of the polymer can be controlled both by the 45 be poured in slowly in a smallstream, especially
if a diluent or diluent-refrigerant is used, and
lowness of the temperature, and to some extent
by the catalyst concentrationl
_ _
'
the stirring is quite vigorous.
v
The addition of catalyst is preferably continued
Thus, an object of the invention is to ‘inter
polymerize on ole?n or isoole?n such as isobutyl-~ , until no further indications of polymerization
ene and an aryl acetylene such as phenyl/50 are evident.
, It is preferable, but not essential, that the cata
acetylene. Other objects'and details of the in
lyst be quenched or inactivated at the low poly
vention will be‘ apparent from the following; de
merization temperature, and for this purpose
scription.
the preferable procedure is to add a substantial
In practicing the invention, the ole?n such
as isobutylene (boiling point -6° C.) ‘and the 55 quantity of isopropyl alcohol to the reaction mix
_ I
2
'_ 2,255,396
ture containing the solid polymer as above point
ed out. Alternatively, various other quenching
agents than isopropyl alcohol may be used. These
of titanium‘tetrachloride dissolved in ethyl or
methyl chloride are similarly useful. Likewise,
genated solvents. Accordingly, the polymer may
solutions of boron tri?uoride in such'solvents as
the alkyl halides‘ or in ethane or ethylenelare
similarly useful. The above-listed catalysts are
' ‘representative samples of a substantial number
of solutions of Friedel-Crafts substances which
are useful as catalysts in the present invention.
Example 3
10
Both of the above polymers were found to be
soluble in lubricating oils, and on subsequent ad
dition to a lubricating oil were found to produce
valuable thickening properties in the oil and to
be dissolved in a solvent such as the light naph
15 increase its viscosity and viscosity index.
include such substances as acetone, ethyl or
methyl alcohol, andin fact substantially any
of the organic oxygenated compounds, although
liquid aliphatic alcohols and ketones are pre
ferred, and it is also preferable that they be
substances/which. are still liquid at or near the
reaction temperature.
.
The polymer has been found to be soluble in
such solvents as benzene and other hydrocarbons
but insoluble in- substantially all of the oxy
thas or benzene, and it is readily precipitated
from such solutionslby the addition to the solu
tion of such substances as isopropyl alcohol.
The polymer precipitates upon the addition’ of a
‘ relatively small amount of the alcohol, ‘and com
plete precipitation may be obtained by the ad
Example 1 and Example 2. A typical thickening
effect is shown by. the following table which
shows the change in viscosity produced by the
20 dissolving of 5% of the mixed polymer in a suit
able lubricating'oil:
dition of a sufficient excess. The precipitated
polymer is conveniently dried for several hours
at 100° C. in a vacuum oven to remove traces of
solvent.
Sun
20W
Analysis of the material produced as
described in Example 1 showed the following re
sults which are listed below along with the the
Via/100 ___________________________________ _.
oretical composition of polyisobut'ylene and poly
phenyl acetylene.
‘
C ______________________________ _ .
86. 09
35. 6
12. 57
14. 4
94. 7
>
5. 3
Sun 20W+5%
of copolymer
276
609
46
_ 68
. 17
92
Via/210 ___________________________________ __
v
V. I _______________________________________ ..
From these data it is apparent that this product
Polyiso- Polyphenyl
greatly improves the viscosity index character
Sump“ butylene acetylene
H ______________________________ _‘_
Sub
stantally no difference was found in the thicken
ing effects of the two polymers as produced by
istics of lubricating oil.
The above examples utilize for the reaction,
35 mixtures of isobutylene and phenyl acetylene.
Substantially any of the alkyl substituted phenyl
or naphthyl acetylenes are useful for this re
Based upon this analysis, the mixed polymer ap
peared to consist of about 87% of isobutylene _ . action and various of the isoole?ns or simple ole
?ns may be substituted in part or in whole for
molecules and 13% of phenyl acetylene molecules
40 the isobutylene; particularly such substances as
polymerized into the polymer molecules.
propylene and the amylenes are useful, as well
as ethylene, which serves mainly as a diluent
The molecular weight of the interpolymer pro
duced as abovev described is approximately 50,000.
It appears, however, that this molecular weight
refrigerant. '
.
-
;-The invention thus consists in the inter
is quite constant and uniform at any given tem- .
polymerization of mixtures of an ole?n such as
perature; and fractional precipitation of the
isobutylene and an aryl acetylene such as phenyl
acetylene to produce new, and valuable polymers
which are soluble in lubricating oil to produce a
new and valuable increase in viscosity and vis
butylene.
‘
»
The polymer asso produced is physically a 50 cosity index of a mineral lubricating oil.
While there are above. disclosed but a limited
white, plastic solid, somewhat stringy and capa
number of embodiments of this invention, it is
ble of cold flow.
'
'
.
possible to produce still other embodiments with
Example - 2
out departing from the inventive concepts here
Another mixture of phenyl acetylene and iso
in disclosed, and it is therefore desired that only
such limitations be imposed on the appended
butylene was prepared containing 20% of phenyl
acetylene and 80% of isobutylene by weight. '
claims as are stated therein.’ or required by the
prior art.
This material was cooled as before and polymer
The invention claimed is:
ized by the procedure indicated in Example 1 and
1. The process of producing high‘ molecular
the pure polymer was separated by. a similar so 60
weight polymers comprising the steps vof mixing
lution and precipitation procedure. Upon subse
polymer from solution as above described does
not result in fractions of diiferent' molecular
weights, as is found to be the case with‘ polyiso
isobutylene and phenyl acetylene, chilling the
quent analysis it was found to contain 86.18%
.carbon and 13.53% hydrogen. Based upon this
mixture to temperatures below —50° C. and
polymerizing the mixture by the application
analysis, calculations show that the polymer con
tains approximately 8% of phenyl acetylene, and 65 thereto of a Friedel-Crafts type catalyst.
_ 92% of isobutylene.
2. The process of producing high molecular
weight polymers comprising the steps of mixing
The procedures indicated in Examples 1 and 2
isobutylene and phenyl acetylene, ‘chilling the
utilize for the catalyst a‘solution of aluminum
mixture to temperatures below —50° C. and
chloride in, an alkyl halide such as ethyl or
methyl chloride. Other dissolved catalysts are, 70 polymerizing the mixture by the application,
however, equally usable.‘ A solution of aluminum '
thereto of a Fri-edel-Crafts type catalyst com
prising aluminum chloride.
chloridev in‘ carbon disulfide is similarly useful,
especially when the catalyst has been prepared
by a substantial period ofheating, to modify the
,
3. The ,prnocess ofjproducing high molecular
weight polymers comprising the steps of mixing
color of the original solution. Likewise, solutions 75 isobutylene and phenyl acetylene, chilling the
3
2,255,396
mixture to temperatures below —50° C. and
polymerizing the mixture by the application
'
10. A mixed polymer comprising in each mole
‘cule of polymer, molecules-of isobutylene and.
molecules of phenyl acetylene. '
thereto~ of a Friedel-Crafts type catalyst com
prising a solution of aluminum chloride.
,
4. The process of producing high molecular’
weight polymers comprising the steps of mix
11. The process of'preparing a- lubricant com‘
prising the steps of cooling isobutylene and
phenyl acetylene to a temperature below _—"50° C.,
polymerizing the mixture‘ by the application
ing isobutylene and phenyl acetylene, chilling
thereto of a Friedel-Crafts type catalyst and
the mixture to temperatures below —50° C. and
dissolving the polymer in a mineral lubricating
polymerizing the mixture by the ‘ application
oil.
thereto of a Friedel-Crafts type catalyst com 10
12. The process of preparing a lubricant com
prising a solution of aluminum chloride in an
prising the steps oil ,cooling isobutylene and
phenyl acetylene to a temperature below -—50°
alkyl halide.
.
.
5. The process 0 producing high molecular
0., polymerizing the mixture by the application
weight polymers comprising the steps of mixing
thereto of a Friedel-Crafts type catalyst com- isobutylene and phenyl acetylene,- chilling the 15 prising aluminum chloride dissolved in an alkyl
mixture to temperatures below —50° C. and
halide, and dissolving the_polymer in a mineral
polymerizing the mixture by the application
lubricating oil.
thereto of a Friedel-Crafts type catalyst com
prising a solution 'of aluminum chloride in
methyl chloride.
'
20
.
6. The method of producing a mixed polymer
comprising the steps of chilling isobutylene and
an aryl substituted acetylene to a temperature
below —50° C. and polymerizing the mixture by
\ the application thereto of a
Friedel-Crafts type
-
13. A lubricant com rising a solution in
mineral oil of a mixed polymer containing in
the polymer molecules both isobutylene and
phenyl acetylene molecules.
'
.~
14. The process of producing high molecular
' weight interpolymers comprising the ‘steps of
mixing isobutylene and an aryl acetylene, cool
25 ing the mixture to a temperature below about
—50° C., and polymerizing the'mixture by the
catalyst.
'7. The method of producing a mixed polymer
application thereto of a Friedel-Crafts type
comprising the steps of chilling isobutylene and
catalyst.
’
an aryl substituted acetylene to a temperature
15. The process of producing high molecular
below -—50° C. and polymerizing the mixture 30 weight interpolymers comprising the steps of
by the application thereto of a Friedel-Crafts
mixing isobutylene and an, alkaryl acetylene,
type catalyst comprising aluminum chloride dis
cooling the mixturewto a temperature below
about —50° C., and‘ polymerizing the mixture by
solved in an alkyl halide.
8. A mixed polymer comprising in each mole
the application thereto of a Friedel-Crafts type
cule of polymer, molecules of isobutylene and
catalyst comprising aluminum‘ chloride dissolved _
molecules of an aryl substituted acetylene. in methyl chloride.
9. A mixed polymer comprising in each mole
'
WILLIAM J. SPARKS.
cule or polymer, molecules of isobutylene and
CLIFFORD W. MUESSIG.
molecules of anaryl acetylene.
1
'