PRODUCTION OF LOW-BRANCHING OCTENE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the subject low branching octene which is useful as a starting substance for phthalate plasticizer in a high selectivity with high catalyst activity, by bringing a butene mixture into contact with a specific sulfate radical-nickel-carrying alumina catalyst. SOLUTION: (A) Aqueous (ammonium) sulfate solution is brought into contact with alumina, then the alumina is fired at 400-650 deg.C to prepare a sulfate radical- carrying alumina. The alumina is brought into contact with a solution containing a nickel compound and fired at 400-650 deg.C to give a sulface-nickel-carrying alumina catalyst (containing nickel oxide in an amount of 3-30wt.% in the whole amount of 3-30wt.% calculated as metallic nickel) (preferably containing sulfate radical in an amount of 0.5-10wt.%, calculated as sulfur, based on the total weight of the alumina and the sulfate radical with an atomic ratio of Ni/S of >=1.0). The catalyst (A) is brought into contact with (B) a butene mixture with an isobutene content of <=3wt.% under such a pressure that the component B can be maintained in a supercritical phase or a liquid phase at 0-300 deg.C whereby the objective compound with a branching degree of <= 1.2 is obtained.