Patent ID: 8044249

Claim:
A process for preparing a detergent alcohol mixture, said process comprising the steps of: a. providing one or more poly-branched poly-olefins, wherein the poly-branched poly-olefins must contain one non-branched terminal olefin and one or more additional branched olefins in the molecule and wherein the poly-branched poly-olefins are selected from the group consisting of: i. naturally derived farnesene and farnesene mixtures extracted from natural plants and organisms; ii. farnesene and farnesene mixtures obtained via genetically modified organisms; iii. synthetically derived trimers of isoprene; and iv. mixtures thereof; b. selectively hydrogenating all but one olefin of the poly-branched poly-olefin mixture producing a poly-branched mono-olefin mixture; c. hydroformylating said poly-branched poly-olefins to produce a poly-branched olefin containing aldehyde product with one or more olefins or mixture thereof, utilizing a catalyst selected from the group consisting of modified or unmodified Group IX transition metals, and process conditions comprising a process temperature ranging from about 50° C. to about 130° C., a hydrogen to carbon monoxide mole ratio ranging from about 0.25:1 to about 4:1, and a total pressure ranging from about 300 psig to about 2000 psig; d. reducing the aldehyde product of step (b) in the presence of hydrogen and a hydrogenation catalyst, utilizing process conditions comprising a process temperature ranging from about 20° C. to about 130° C., and a hydrogen pressure ranging from 100 psig to about 2000 psig to form a poly-branched detergent alcohol mixture; and e. removing said poly-branched alcohol mixture from said catalyst.