Patent Description:
Refiners utilize intensive fuel processing in order to meet the stringent government mandates limiting permissible levels of sulfur in finished fuels. At present in the United States, the maximum specification for ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) is <NUM> ppm. USLD is the on-road diesel fuel in the US. Unfortunately, this intensive processing also eliminates trace oxygen and nitrogen compounds that contribute to the fuel's inherent lubricity. Hence ULSD is known to be less lubricating if not treated with lubricity improving additives. Lubrication is vital in preventing wear in fuel delivery systems, particularly in pumps. high pressure pumps, and injectors.

The majority of commercial lubricity additives are based on fatty acids of natural origin such as vegetable oils or plant oils, such as tall oil fatty acids (TOFA). As such, these lubricity additives are subjected to supply and cost constraints due to the inherent price volatility of these raw materials. Moreover, variabilities in qualities and properties of vegetable and plant-based oils in various regions create product quality inconsistencies. Hence, the development of <NUM>% synthetic-based lubricity additives holds the potential to ease supply chain challenges. avoid significant raw material cost fluctuations, and ensure consistent product quality.

In addition to lubricity additives, hydrocarbon fuels such as diesel fuel may be formulated with additives to modify other characteristics of the fuel and its performance in an engine. Such additives may include dispersants. antioxidants, viscosity index modifiers, corrosion inhibitors, and the like.

<CIT> concerns a composition for use as an additive for fuels and lubricants that includes an amination product of a hydrocarbyl substituted succinic acylating agent and polyamines. <CIT> teaches the use of this additive as a dispersant to maintain impurities and deposits in a suspended state so that they can be removed from the system by filtration or other means rather than being deposited on internal engine components.

<CIT> concerns a fuel additive concentrate for use as a detergent/dispersant. The fuel additive concentrate includes a fuel-soluble product formed by reaction between (a) at least one polyamine and (b) at least one acyclic hydrocarbyl-substituted succinic acylating agent. <CIT> discloses lubricity additives based on reaction products of hydrocarbyl succinic anhydride and a hydroxylamine.

Briefly, the present disclosure provides lubricity additives according to formula I:
<CHM>
wherein n is <NUM> or <NUM>; each Q is oxygen each R is independently selected from C12-C32 alkenyl groups which are substituted or unsubstituted; and L is a linking group comprising <NUM>-<NUM> carbons which may be substituted or unsubstituted and may optionally comprise catenary heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom or an -NH-group. Additional embodiments of the lubricity additives of the present disclosure are described below.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides fuel mixtures comprising a hydrocarbon fuel; and a lubricity additive according to the present disclosure. In various embodiments the hydrocarbon fuel may be a middle distillate fuel. derived from petroleum or biobased feedstock. Additional embodiments of the fuel mixtures of the present disclosure are described below.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides methods of making lubricity additives comprising reacting an alkenyl succinic anhydride according to formula II:
<CHM>.

Additional embodiments of the methods of the present disclosure are described below.

The preceding summary of the present disclosure is not intended to describe each embodiment of the present invention. The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are also set forth in the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and from the claims.

All chemical formulas used herein are intended to include all enantiomers or stereoisomers unless otherwise specified.

As used herein, "have", "having". "include", "including", "comprise". "comprising" or the like are used in their open ended sense, and generally mean "including, but not limited to. " It will be understood that the terms "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of" are subsumed in the term "comprising," and the like.

The present disclosure provides synthetic lubricity additives for hydrocarbon fuels such as diesel fuel. Lubricity additives may be species according to formula I:
<CHM>.

In some embodiments n is <NUM>. Where n is <NUM>, L may comprise <NUM>-<NUM> carbons, <NUM>-<NUM> carbons, <NUM>-<NUM> carbons, or <NUM>-<NUM> carbons, <NUM>-<NUM> carbons, <NUM>-<NUM> carbons, <NUM>-<NUM> carbons, or <NUM>-<NUM> carbons and may or may not include catenary oxygen atoms (ether oxygens), and may or may not include catenary -NH- groups (amines). In various embodiments, L may be a straight-chain, branched, cyclic, saturated, unsaturated, or aromatic divalent group. In various embodiments, each R may be independently selected from straight-chain, branched, or cyclic groups. Each R may attach to one of the two succinyl groups of Formula I at a terminal carbon of the R group, or may attach to the succinyl group at a non-terminal carbon of the R group such that the R group branches at that carbon. In various embodiments, each R group may be independently selected from C14-C32 alkenyl groups, C16-C32 alkenyl groups. C18-C32 alkenyl groups. C20-C32 alkenyl groups, C21-C32 alkenyl groups, C8-C28 alkenyl groups, C10-C28 alkenyl groups, C12-C28 alkenyl groups, C14-C28 alkenyl groups, C16-C28 alkenyl groups. C18-C28 alkenyl groups, C20-C28 alkenyl groups, C21-C28 alkenyl groups, C8-C24 alkenyl groups, C10-C24 alkenyl groups, C <NUM>-C24 alkenyl groups, C <NUM>-C24 alkenyl groups, C <NUM>-C24 alkenyl groups, C18-C24 alkenyl groups, C20-C24 alkenyl groups, or C21-C24 alkenyl groups. Among lubricity additives according to the present disclosure having R groups in the range of C12-C24. we have found the longer-chain R groups to provide more effective lubricity additives that can outperform current commercial lubricity additives.

The present lubricity additives may be made by any suitable method. In one method, an alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA) according to formula II:
<CHM>
is reacted with a species according to formula III:
<CHM>
wherein R, n, Q, and L are as described above. In embodiments where Q is O and n is <NUM>, the species according to formula III is urea. In embodiments where Q is O and n is <NUM>, the species according to formula III is a bisamide terminating at each end with a -C(O)NH2 (amide) group.

The alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA) according to formula II may be made according to any suitable method. In one embodiment, a selected olefin is reacted with maleic anhydride under inert atmosphere at elevated temperature. as described below in the Examples. The selected olefin may be present in a slight molar excess to minimize the formation of polymaleic anhydride. The olefin may be an alpha olefin or an internal olefin having a carbon-carbon double bond available for reaction. The selected olefin may be a single species of olefin or a mixture of species.

The ASA may be reacted with the species according to formula III by any suitable method. In one embodiment, the two reactants are reacted under inert atmosphere at elevated temperature, as described below in the Examples. Typically ASA and the species according to formula III are present in the reaction mixture in <NUM>:<NUM> molar ratio. In one embodiment, the reaction temperature is increased stepwise to provide amidation of ASA at lower temperatures, followed by ring closure to provide the corresponding imide groups at higher temperatures. Stepwise amidation and imidation was found to eliminate the formation of precipitates resulting from side-reactions.

The present method employing a bisamide (such as urea (IUPAC designation carbonyl diamide) results in a carbonyl group that provides increased binding to metal surfaces, a trait that is desirable in a lubricity additive.

The present fuel additives may be provided neat or in solution. Certain fuel additives may be gels or solids at room temperature in the absence of solvent, leading to difficulty in handling and in blending with fuel. For example, neat ASA- urea adducts are gels or solids at room temperature, depending on the length and the structure (e.g., branched or straight) of the alkenyl R groups. Formulations of these lubricity additives with as little as <NUM>% solvent remain liquid and stable (i.e., no gelation, precipitation, phase separation, or dramatic increase in viscosity) during prolonged storage at <NUM>. Any suitable common solvent may be used. In some embodiments. the solvent is an aromatic solvent such as heavy aromatic naphtha. Greater dilution may result in reduced viscosity and therefore improved pumpability at lower temperatures. Formulations of these lubricity additives with <NUM>% solvent or <NUM>% solvent demonstrate low viscosity at sub-zero (centigrade) temperatures and excellent performance as lubricity additives.

The present disclosure additionally provides fuel mixtures comprising a hydrocarbon fuel and a lubricity additive according to the present disclosure. Any suitable fuel may be used. In various embodiments, the hydrocarbon fuel may be a middle distillate fuel, a bio-sourced fuel, or a diesel fuel. The fuel mixture may additionally comprise other additives such as one or more of dispersants, antioxidants, viscosity index modifiers, corrosion inhibitors, and the like.

Objects and advantages of this disclosure are further illustrated by the following examples, but the particular materials and amounts thereof recited in these examples, as well as other conditions and details. should not be construed to unduly limit this disclosure.

Unless otherwise noted, all reagents were obtained or are available from Aldrich Chemical Co. , Milwaukee, WI, or may be synthesized by known methods.

All parts, percentages, ratios, etc. in the examples and the rest of the specification are by weight, unless noted otherwise. The following abbreviations may be used: m = meters: cm = centimeters; mm = millimeters; um = micrometers; ft = feet; in = inch: RPM = revolutions per minute: kg = kilograms; oz = ounces: lb = pounds; Pa = Pascals; sec = seconds; min = minutes; hr = hours; and RH = relative humidity. The terms "weight %", "% by weight". and "wt%" are used interchangeably.

Maleic anhydride was pulverized and then melted in a flask at <NUM> under nitrogen sweep to purge the oxygen in the system. The selected olefin was charged into the flask in a slight molar excess to minimize the formation of polymaleic anhydride, which is a side reaction. Polymaleic anhydride may appear as dark brown precipitate which is discarded. The reaction mixture was heated to <NUM> - <NUM> for at least <NUM> hours under nitrogen to generate the corresponding alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA) as an amber to dark amber viscous liquid.

Following the ASA synthesis the flask was cooled to <NUM>. Urea was added in a <NUM>:<NUM> ASA/urea molar ratio. The temperature was increased stepwise with a <NUM> hour duration at each of <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> - <NUM>. The stepwise increase in temperature during imidation provided amidation of ASA with urea at lower temperatures, followed by ring closure to afford the corresponding ASA-urea adduct at higher temperatures (≥<NUM>). Stepwise amidation and imidation was found to eliminate the formation of black precipitate. After a total of <NUM> hours reaction time as described above. heavy aromatic naphtha was charge into the flask followed by filtration to afford a formulation at the desired concentration.

HFRR testing was performed in accordance with ASTM D6079 Standard Test Method for Evaluating Lubricity of Diesel Fuels by the High-Frequency Reciprocating Rig (HFRR).

Table I reports HFRR results demonstrating lubricity improvement (smaller wear scar) with the use of ASA - Urea Adducts made with the C12 olefin (Ex. <NUM> and <NUM>) or the C18 olefin (Ex. <NUM> and <NUM>). For comparative examples C1 and C2, the unreacted C12 olefin alone was used as the additive. The "Comparative Wear Scar" column reports results obtained under the same conditions using the Benchmark Lubricity Additive. All additive formulations were <NUM>% by weight additive in heavy aromatic naphtha, which is comparable to the Benchmark Lubricity Additive. The indicated additive was used to treat ULSD fuels at the indicated concentration and tested in accordance with the HFRR Test Method. The treat rates described in Table <NUM> were based on the total amount of the formulated additives (including solvent).

Both ULSD's responded very well to the ASA - Urea adducts. On the other hand, the ULSD samples did not show the same respond to the unmodified alkenyl succinic anhydride suggesting that the incorporation of the imide functionality in the molecule is essential to achieve performance as a lubricity improver for ULSD.

Table <NUM> reports HFRR results demonstrating lubricity improvement (smaller wear scar) with the use of ASA - Urea Adducts made with the C12-C14 alpha-olefin (Ex. <NUM> and <NUM>) or the C16-C18 intemal olefin (Ex. <NUM> and <NUM>), maleic anhydride, and urea as described above. As above, the "Comparative Wear Scar" column reports results obtained under the same conditions using the Benchmark Lubricity Additive. All additive formulations were <NUM>% by weight additive in heavy aromatic naphtha, except examples <NUM> and <NUM> where the additive was added neat. In all cases, the Benchmark Lubricity Additive contains comparable % active as the formulated additives. The indicated additive was used to treat ULSD fuels at the indicated concentration and tested in accordance with the HFRR Test Method. The treat rates described in Table <NUM> were based on the total amount of the formulated additives (including solvent).

To investigate the impact of ASA chain length on lubricity additive performance, ASA - Urea adducts derived from varying chain length olefins were tested as described above with regard to Examples <NUM>-<NUM> and the results are reported in Table <NUM>. In general, it was found that better performance correlated with longer chain length.

A reaction was carried out according to the following procedure. C-<NUM> ASA (<NUM>, <NUM> mol) and urea (<NUM>, <NUM> mol) were weighed into a <NUM> round-bottom reactor provided with an inert gas atmosphere to prevent oxidation. To the reaction mixture was added <NUM> of heavy aromatic naptha (HAN) and ethanolamine (<NUM>, <NUM>. 0208mol) and stirred. The mixture was heated to <NUM> while stirring using a heated oil bath. After <NUM> hours the reaction temperature was raised to <NUM> and held at <NUM> for <NUM> hours. After the total reaction time of <NUM> hours. the principally Bisimide product (Bisimide, <NUM>. <NUM>%) was obtained. The product was obtained as a clear amber yellow liquid at <NUM>% concentration in heavy aromatic naptha. This concentration is useful for ease of handling. The additive at the appropriate concentration can be added to the diesel fuel to obtain the desired lubricity performance. The lubricity performance of the product was measured in the high frequency reciprocating rig (HFRR) as described above and demonstrated wear scar values of <NUM> at <NUM> ppm concentration in diesel fuel.

A reaction was carried out according to the following procedure. C-<NUM> ASA (<NUM>, <NUM> mol) and Biuret (<NUM>, <NUM> mol) were weighed into a <NUM> round-bottom reactor provided with an inert gas atmosphere to prevent oxidation. To the reaction mixture was added <NUM> of heavy aromatic naptha (HAN) and ethanolamine (<NUM>, 00217mol) and stirred. The mixture was heated to <NUM> while stirring using a heated oil bath. After <NUM> hours the reaction temperature is raised to <NUM> and held at <NUM> for <NUM> hours. After the total reaction time of <NUM> hours, the principally Bisimide product (Bisimide, <NUM>, <NUM>%) was obtained. The product is obtained as a clear dark amber liquid at <NUM>% concentration in heavy aromatic naptha. This concentration is useful for ease of handling. The additive at the appropriate concentration can be added to the diesel fuel to obtain the desired lubricity performance. The lubricity performance of the product was measured in the high frequency reciprocating rig (HFRR) as described above and demonstrated wear scar values in the range of <NUM> at a 250ppm concentration in the diesel fuel.

A reaction was carried out according to the following procedure. C-<NUM> ASA (<NUM>, <NUM> mol) and urea (<NUM>, <NUM> mol) were weighed into a <NUM> round-bottom reactor provided with an inert gas atmosphere to prevent oxidation. To the reaction mixture was added <NUM> of heavy aromatic naptha (HAN) and olcylpropandiamine (<NUM>, 004mol) and stirred. The mixture was heated to <NUM> while stirring using a heated oil bath. After <NUM> hours the reaction temperature is raised to <NUM> and held at <NUM> for <NUM> hours. After the total reaction time of <NUM> hours, the Bisimide product (Bisimide, <NUM>, <NUM>%) was obtained. The product is obtained as a clear amber yellow liquid at <NUM>% concentration in heavy aromatic naptha. This concentration is useful for ease of handling. The additive at the appropriate concentration can be added to the diesel fuel to obtain the desired lubricity performance. The lubricity performance of the product was measured in the high frequency reciprocating rig (HFRR) as described above and demonstrated wear scar values of <NUM> at a 250ppm concentration in the diesel fuel.

Alkenyl succinic glycerol bisester derivatives were synthesized from the reaction of several alkenyl succinic anhydrides and glycerol through the ring opening reaction of the anhydride with glycerol. Final target products were a mixture of isomers, were characterized by <NUM> NMR, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and were used as additives without further purification.

A reaction was carried out according to the following procedure. C-<NUM> ASA (<NUM>, <NUM> mol) and glycerol (<NUM>, <NUM> mol) were weighed into a <NUM> round-bottom reactor with an inert gas atmosphere to prevent oxidation. The mixture was heated to <NUM>-<NUM> while stirring using a heated oil bath. Products (Bisester, <NUM>, <NUM>%) were obtained after <NUM> hours. The product can be diluted with heavy aromatic naptha to generate a concentrated product solution for ease of handling. The additive at the appropriate concentration can be added to the diesel fuel to obtain the desired lubricity performance. The lubricity performance of the product was measured in the high frequency reciprocating rig (HFRR) as described above and demonstrated wear scar values in the range of <NUM>-<NUM> at a <NUM> ppm concentration in the diesel fuel.

Most fuel system storage tanks, transfer lines, and underground pipelines are composed of <NUM>/<NUM> carbon steel. These system components are all susceptible to internal corrosion when exposed to fuel containing water. Corrosion in fuel storage and transportation system can be aggravated by acid carryover from fuel processing, microbial growth, seawater contamination, and water from salt drying operations.

Lubricity improvers for diesel fuel are known to exhibit ferrous corrosion inhibitor activity at dosages required to meet the lubricity specification. However, commercial ferrous corrosion inhibitors typically are used at lower rates, typically from <NUM> to <NUM> ppm in fuels. At these rates, typical lubricity improvers do not demonstrate good performance as corrosion inhibitors.

NACE TM <NUM> Standard Test Method for Determining Corrosive Properties of Cargoes in Petroleum Product Pipelines is a test method used for fuel pipeline companies and refineries to determine the corrosive properties of liquid petroleum products and other hydrocarbon products that are not water-soluble for transporting through a steel pipeline. Typically, an A or B++ rating per NACE TM <NUM> is considered acceptable.

The C-<NUM> ASA/urea adduct described above was evaluated for ferrous corrosion inhibitor activity per NACE TM <NUM> test in a corrosive summer diesel fuel and gasoline. The fuel samples were treated in the range of <NUM> to <NUM> ppm (based on <NUM>% C-<NUM> ASA/urea adduct in heavy aromatic naphtha). Tables <NUM> and <NUM> report the NACE TM <NUM> performance of C-the <NUM> ASA/urea adduct as corrosion inhibitor.

Claim 1:
A lubricity additive according to formula I:
<CHM>
wherein n is <NUM> or <NUM>;
wherein each Q is oxygen;
wherein each R is independently selected from C12 - C32 alkenyl groups which are substituted or unsubstituted; and
wherein L is a linking group comprising <NUM> to <NUM> carbon atoms which may be substituted or unsubstituted and may optionally comprise catenary heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom and an -NH- group.