Patent GB-943196-A (GB)
Title: Improved catalyst systems
Inventor: BUCK HENRICUS MARIA
IPC: C08F10/00
Filed: 1959-12-07
Abstract: The polymerization of unsaturated compounds (particularly olefins and especially conjugated dienes such as butadiene) are effected using a catalyst system which comprises (a) one or more aluminium halides (especially AlCl3, but also AlBr3), (b) one or more nitrohydrocarbons and (c) one or more oxidising agents, proton acids (as defined in the Specification) and/or anhydrides of proton acids.  The proton acids are those which form hydroxonium ions when dissolved in water, but hydrogen halides are excluded; suitable acids are phosphoric, sulphuric and nitric, while phosphorus pentoxide is a suitable acid anhydride. Preferred oxidising agents are inorganic chlorates, nitrates and nitrites, especially of alkali and alkaline earth metals, e.g. Na, K and NH4, but other oxidising agents also suitable are NO, NO2, NOBF4, NO2BF4, halogen oxides e.g. ClO2 and polynitro compounds e.g. C(NO2)4, 1,3,5- trinitrobenzene and picric acid. Aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene and toluene, as well as e.g. CCl4 and C2H2Cl4, may be used as additional solvents. Examples are given.ALSO:The alkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons with olefins, the isomerization of alkanes (particularly normal alkanes) and the polymerization of unsaturated compounds (particularly olefins and especially conjugated dienes such as butadiene) are effected using a catalyst system which comprises (a) one or more aluminium halides (especially AlCl3, but also AlBr3), (b) one or more nitrohydrocarbons, and (c) one or more oxidizing agents, proton acids (as defined in the Specification) and/or anhydrides of proton acids. The porton acids are those which form hydroxonium ions when dissolved in water, but hydrogen halides are excluded; suitable acids are phosphoric, sulphuric and nitric, while phosphorus pentoxide is a suitable acid anhydride. Preferred oxidizing agents are inorganic chlorates, nitrates and nitrites, especially of alkali and alkaline earth metals, e.g. Na, K and NH4, but other oxidizing agents also suitable are NO, NO2, NOBF4, NO2BF4, halogen oxides, e.g. ClO2 and polynitro compounds, e.g. C(NO2)4, 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene and picric acid.  Aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene and toluene, as well as e.g. CCl4 and C2H2Cl4, may be used as additional solvents. Examples are given.ALSO:A catalyst system comprises (a) one or more aluminium halides (especially A1C13, but also A1Br3), (b) one or more nitrohydrocarbons and (c) one or more oxidizing agents, proton acids (as defined in the Specification) and/or anhydrides of proton acids. The proton acids are those which form hydroxonium ions when dissolved in water, but hydrogen halides are excluded; suitable acids are phosphoric, sulphuric and nitric, while phosphorus pentoxide is a suitable acid anhydride.  Preferred oxidizing agents are inorganic chlorates, nitrates and nitrites, especially of alkali and alkaline earth metals, e.g. Na, K and NH4, but other oxidizing agents also suitable are NO, NO2, NOBF4, NO2BF4, halogen oxides, e.g. C1O2 and polynitro compounds, e.g. C(NO2)4, 1, 3, 5- trinitrobenzene and picric acid.  Aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene and toluene, as well as e.g. CC14 and C2H2C14, may be used as additional solvents. Examples are given.