p-Alkyl phenol alkoxylate co-oligomers and process for preparing o- or p- alkyl or alkenyl phenol alkoxylate oligomers or co-oligomers useful as demulsifiers

摘要

A process for preparing an o- or p-alkyl or alkenyl phenol alkoxylate oligomer or co-oligomer comprises adding a methylene donor to one or more o- or p-alkyl or alkenyl phenol alkoxylates. Suitable methylene donors include aldehydes or derivatives thereof, hexamethlene tetramine, an N-(substituted hydroxyalkyl) melamine compound or various derivatives thereof, an alkyloxyalkylpyridinium compound, oxazolidine or N-methyl-1,3,5-dioxazene. In particular, paraformaldehyde is added to p-nonylphenol 4 mole ethoxylate. The oligomers or co-oligomers may be useful as demulsifiers or emulsion breakers in the petroleum industry. A non-statistical non-random p-alkyl phenol alkoxylate co-oligomer wherein there are at least two different C3-12-alkyl residues as the p-alkyl residues is also claimed.