IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF LINEAR alpha-OLEFIN WITH SUPERCRITICAL ETHYLENE RECYCLE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remarkably reduce the amount of compression required for unconverted ethylene by carrying out separation and recycle of supercritical ethylene in oligomerization of the ethylene. SOLUTION: A linearα-olefin is continuously produced by oligomerizing the ethylene in a polar phase containing a transition metal catalyst system under oligomerizing conditions including a temperature and a pressure greater than the critical temperature and pressure of ethylene. The resultant hydrocarbon phase containing hydrocarbons and unconverted ethylene is subjected to physical treatment which tends to render the ethylene a nonsolvent for oligomers to thereby produce a liquefied stream rich in supercritical ethylene which can be recycled to the oligomerization reactional zone by pumping.