Process for manufacturing gasoline additives of ester-free polyoxyalkylene amide

摘要

An improved process to prepare poly(oxyalkylene)amide for gasoline additives involves three consecutive reactions. The reactions are (1) amidation of water-soluble low molecular weight of polyalkylene polyamine with alkyl acetate at an elevated temperature under N2 pressure to convert amines to amides, (2) Butoxylation of the amides with 1,2-epoxybutane to prepare the poly(oxyalkylene) amides, and (3) selective hydrolysis of in situ poly(oxyalkylene)-amine-ester-amides into poly(oxyalkylene)-amine-alcohol-amides and removal of acetic acid byproducts, via acid/base hydrolysis and water extraction procedures. The process step of selective hydrolysis is essential for removal the harmful composition of poly(oxyalkylene)-amine-ester-amides in resulting the better performance of the additive, particularly the positive engine's octane requirement or reducing the combustion chamber deposits. More specifically the butoxylation process generally produces poly(oxyalkylene)amides and poly(oxyalkylene)esters via an exchange reaction (trans-amidation/trans-esterification) and the poly(oxyalkylene)esters in the product mixtures is removed to obtain better performance products.