High VI synthetic lubricants from thermally cracked slack wax

摘要

A process for the production of synthetic lubricants having high viscosity index by oligomerizing a mixture of alpha-olefins produced from the thermal cracking of slack wax or recycled slack wax. The oligomerization is carried out with a reduced metal oxide catalyst, preferably a carbon monoxide reduced chromium oxide on a silica support. The olefin product from the thermal cracking step is purified, preferably by hydrotreating prior to the oligomerization step.