Patent ID: 7479568

Claim:
A process for preparing an alkaline earth metal borated sulfonate comprising: (a) reacting (i) at least one of an oil soluble sulfonic acid, an alkaline earth sulfonate salt, or a mixtures thereof; (ii) at least one source of alkaline earth metal; (iii) at least one source of boron, in the presence of a mixture comprising: (1) at least one hydrocarbon solvent; (2) at least one low molecular weight alcohol; and (iv) from 0 to less than 10 mole percent, relative to the source of boron, of an overbasing acid, other than the source of boron; and (b) heating the reaction product of (a) to a temperature above the distillation temperatures of the hydrocarbon solvent and the low molecular weight alcohol to distill the hydrocarbon solvent, the alcohol and the water generated front the reaction, wherein no additional water is added in the process.