Disclosed are single step and multi-step methods of making functional polyisobutylene (PIB)-containing oligomers and polymers and the materials made thereby. In the single step method a functional group containing PIB oligomer or polymer is made under cationic polymerization conditions in a direct, one step reaction. In the multi-step method a functional group containing PIB oligomer or polymer is made in a two-step process. The first step is performed under cationic polymerization conditions. The second step is performed under non-cationic polymerization conditions.

The present invention is directed to the use of a quaternized derivative of polyisobutylene as stabiliser in inverse emulsions like inverse emulsions used for a reverse-phase emulsion polymerisation process, e.g. for the polymerisation of acrylamide and ethylenically unsaturated cationic monomers. Such emulsions are e.g. used as flocculant for waste water treatment. The present invention is further directed to inverse emulsions comprising a quaternized derivative of polyisobutylene. The inverse emulsions have sufficiently low viscosity and sufficiently high shear stability. The present invention is further directed to an inverse emulsion polymerisation process, wherein the inverse emulsion comprises a quaternized derivative of polyisobutylene.

The present invention is directed to the use of a quaternized derivative of polyisobutylene as stabiliser in inverse emulsions like inverse emulsions used for a reverse-phase emulsion polymerisation process, e.g. for the polymerisation of acrylamide and ethylenically unsaturated cationic monomers. Such emulsions are e.g. used as flocculant for waste water treatment. The present invention is further directed to inverse emulsions comprising a quaternized derivative of polyisobutylene. The inverse emulsions have sufficiently low viscosity and sufficiently high shear stability. The present invention is further directed to an inverse emulsion polymerisation process, wherein the inverse emulsion comprises a quaternized derivative of polyisobutylene.

A method for preparing polybutene includes the steps of: supplying a C4 mixture to an isomerization reactor in which (i) 1-butene is isomerized into 2-butene by a hydrogen isomerization reaction using an isomerization catalyst in an isomerization zone of the isomerization reactor and (ii) iso-butene and 2-butene are separated by fractional distillation in a fractional distillation zone; supplying a C4 mixture containing 2-butene which is separated in the isomerization reactor to a skeletal isomerization reactor, in which a part of normal-butene is skeletal isomerized into iso-butene by a skeletal isomerization reaction using a skeletal isomerization catalyst, and the obtained skeletal isomerization mixture is supplied and recycled to the isomerization reactor; and supplying (i) a raw material containing the iso-butene of high concentration and which is separated from the isomerization reactor and (ii) a polymerization catalyst to a polybutene polymerization reactor and thereby producing polybutene by a polymerization reaction.

A method for preparing polybutene includes the steps of: supplying a C4 mixture to an isomerization reactor in which (i) 1-butene is isomerized into 2-butene by a hydrogen isomerization reaction using an isomerization catalyst in an isomerization zone of the isomerization reactor and (ii) iso-butene and 2-butene are separated by fractional distillation in a fractional distillation zone; supplying a C4 mixture containing 2-butene which is separated in the isomerization reactor to a skeletal isomerization reactor, in which a part of normal-butene is skeletal isomerized into iso-butene by a skeletal isomerization reaction using a skeletal isomerization catalyst, and the obtained skeletal isomerization mixture is supplied and recycled to the isomerization reactor; and supplying (i) a raw material containing the iso-butene of high concentration and which is separated from the isomerization reactor and (ii) a polymerization catalyst to a polybutene polymerization reactor and thereby producing polybutene by a polymerization reaction.

A process for production of polyisobutylene includes subjecting a reaction admixture comprising isobutylene, a diluent for the isobutylene, which may be isobutane, and a catalyst composition, that may include a BF.sub.3/methanol catalyst complex, to reaction conditions suitable for causing at least a portion of the isobutylene to undergo polymerization to form a polyisobutylene product including polyisobutylene molecules. At least a fraction of the polyisobutylene molecules thus produced have alpha position double bonds and the polyisobutylene product has a number average molecular weight (M.sub.N) and a polydispersity index (PDI). The concentration of the diluent in the reaction admixture may be manipulated to control or change any one or more of (a) the relative size of the fraction, (b) the number average molecular weight of the product, (c) the polydispersity index of the product and (d) the relative size of the portion. The diluent concentration may be held constant to maintain any one or more of such characteristics constant.

A process for production of polyisobutylene includes subjecting a reaction admixture comprising isobutylene, a diluent for the isobutylene, which may be isobutane, and a catalyst composition, that may include a BF.sub.3/methanol catalyst complex, to reaction conditions suitable for causing at least a portion of the isobutylene to undergo polymerization to form a polyisobutylene product including polyisobutylene molecules. At least a fraction of the polyisobutylene molecules thus produced have alpha position double bonds and the polyisobutylene product has a number average molecular weight (M.sub.N) and a polydispersity index (PDI). The concentration of the diluent in the reaction admixture may be manipulated to control or change any one or more of (a) the relative size of the fraction, (b) the number average molecular weight of the product, (c) the polydispersity index of the product and (d) the relative size of the portion. The diluent concentration may be held constant to maintain any one or more of such characteristics constant.

The present invention provides a method for preparing a butene oligomer including a step of oligomerizing a polymerization solution including a halogenated hydrocarbon solvent, a nonpolar hydrocarbon solvent and an isobutene monomer in the presence of an organometal catalyst.

The present invention provides a method for preparing a butene oligomer including a step of oligomerizing a polymerization solution including a halogenated hydrocarbon solvent, a nonpolar hydrocarbon solvent and an isobutene monomer in the presence of an organometal catalyst.

The present invention relates to a catalyst composition including an oxonium ion-based catalyst represented by the following Formula 1, and an additive, and a method for preparing polyisobutene using the same:

##STR00001## wherein R, R.sub.1 to R.sub.4, and o, p, q and r are described herein.