Capped polyester polyol lubricant composition

Abstract

The present invention relates to polyester polyol lubricant compositions, some of which are capped, that include two or more chemically linked ester moieties, at least one of which derives from a seed or vegetable oil, and their preparation. The compositions have a pour point temperature of −10° centigrade or less without a pour point depressant and a viscosity at 25° centigrade within a range of 40 centipoises (0.04 pascal second) to 2000 centipoises (2 pascal seconds) when they either lack an initiator moiety or include an initiator moiety other than a dendritic initiator moiety, and a pour point temperature of −5° centigrade or less without a pour point depressant and a viscosity at 25° centigrade within a range of 40 centipoises (0.04 pascal second) to 8000 centipoises (8 pascal seconds) when they include a dendritic initiator moiety. The present invention also relates to a process for removing at least a portion of saturates from said compositions.

1 . A capped polyester polyol lubricant composition, the composition comprising at least two ester moieties, the ester moieties optionally being chemically linked one to another either (a) directly, or (b) indirectly by way of an initiator moiety, one of the ester moieties is an ester alcohol, the ester alcohol is an alkanolized, hydroformylated and reduced seed oil, the seed oil being at least one of a natural oil, a high oleic oil or a genetically modified oil wherein the oil is selected from a group consisting of castor oil, soybean oil, olive oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, sesame seed oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, safflower oil, linseed oil, and sunflower oil, said composition also having a hydroxyl percentage within a range of from 0.1 percent by weight to 2 percent by weight, each percent by weight being based upon composition weight, and a 12 carbon atom and higher carbon number saturated hydrocarbon content within a range of from 0 percent by weight to 32 percent by weight, each percent by weight being based upon composition weight, a viscosity at 25° centigrade within a range of from 40 centipoise to 2000 centipoise, and a pour point of −10° centigrade or less. 
     
     
         2 . A polyester polyol lubricant composition, the composition comprising a plurality of ester moieties, one of the ester moieties is an ester alcohol, the ester alcohol is an alkanolized, hydroformylated and reduced seed oil, the seed oil being at least one of a natural oil, a high oleic oil or a genetically modified oil wherein the oil is selected from a group consisting of castor oil, soybean oil, olive oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, sesame seed oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, safflower oil, linseed oil, and sunflower oil, the ester moieties being chemically linked one to another directly or indirectly by way of a dendritic initiator moiety, the dendritic initiator moiety being derived from dendritic base products or an alkoxylated version thereof, and a hydroxyl percentage within a range of from 0.1 percent by weight to 31 percent by weight, each percent by weight being based upon composition weight, and a 12 carbon atom and higher carbon number saturated hydrocarbon content within a range of from 0 percent by weight to 32 percent by weight, each percent by weight being based upon composition weight, a viscosity at 25° centigrade within a range of from 40 centipoise to 8000 centipoise, and a pour point of −5° centigrade or less. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the initiator moiety is represented by a formula R—(OH) n , where R is n-alkyl, a branched alkyl, or a cyclic alkyl moiety, the alkyl moiety contains from one carbon atom to six carbon atoms, and n is an integer within a range of from 1 to 64. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the initiator moiety is represented by a formula R—(OH) n , where R is n-alkyl, a branched alkyl, or a cyclic alkyl moiety, the alkyl moiety contains from one carbon atom to six carbon atoms, and n is an integer within a range of from 1 to 64. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the initiator moiety derives from an initiator selected from a group consisting of neopentyl glycol (NPG), butane diol, hexane diol, cyclohexane diol, isomers of cyclohexane diol, isomers of cyclohexane dimethanol, hydroquinone bis(2-hydroxyethyl)ether, glycerin, trimethylolpropane, sorbitol, dendritic base products, and alkoxylated versions of members of the group. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the saturated hydrocarbon content is within a range of from 0.1 percent by weight to 10 percent by weight. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the saturated hydrocarbon content is within a range of from 0.1 percent by weight to 10 percent by weight. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method of preparing a polyester polyol lubricant composition, which method comprises:
 a. subjecting a reaction mixture that comprises an alkanolyzed, hydroformylated and reduced seed oil, a capping agent, a catalyst and, optionally, an initiator to an elevated temperature within a range of from 170° centigrade to 200° centigrade to convert at least a portion of the reaction mixture to a capped polyester polyol and a volatile byproduct; and   b. concurrently removing at least a portion of the volatile byproduct.   
     
     
         11 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the capping agent is methyl ester of a short chain (C 6 -C 12 ) fatty acid or a short chain (C 6 -C 12 ) fatty acid. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the catalyst is selected from a group consisting of stannous bis(ethylhexoate), tin octanoate, dibutyl tin dilaurate, butylstannoic acid, dibutyl tin oxide, metal alkoxides, soluble mineral acids, sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, potassium hydroxide, boron trifluoride, and zinc dichloride, the metal alkoxide being selected from a group consisting of sodium methoxide, potassium methoxide, titanium propoxide or titanium isopropoxide. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the initiator is represented by a formula R—(OH) n , where R is n-alkyl, a branched alkyl, or a cyclic moiety, and n is an integer within a range of from 1 to 64. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the initiator is selected from a group consisting of neopentyl glycol (NPG), butane diol, hexane diol, cyclohexane diol, isomers of cyclohexane diol, isomers of cyclohexane dimethanol, hydroquinone bis(2-hydroxyethyl)ether, glycerin, trimethylolpropane, sorbitol, dendritic base products, and alkoxylated versions of the aforementioned materials. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the seed oil being at least one of a natural oil, a high oleic oil or a genetically modified oil wherein the oil is selected from a group consisting of castor oil, soybean oil, olive oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, sesame seed oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, safflower oil, linseed oil, and sunflower oil. 
     
     
         18 - 20 . (canceled)