The present invention relates to a process for preparing ethers, particularly unsymmetrical ethers, and preferably ethers suitable for use as base stocks for lubricant compositions. In particular, the process involves the reaction of a branched-chain aldehyde and a branched-chain alcohol to form an enol ether and conversion of the enol ether to a saturated ether by reduction.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing ethers, particularly unsymmetrical ethers, and preferably ethers suitable for use as base stocks for lubricant compositions. In particular, the process involves the reaction of a branched-chain aldehyde and a branched-chain alcohol to form an enol ether and conversion of the enol ether to a saturated ether by reduction.

Provided herein, inter alia, are compounds of fatty acid glycerol derivatives and compositions including the same.

Provided herein, inter alia, are compounds of fatty acid glycerol derivatives and compositions including the same.

The invention contemplates certain polyethers, polyether derivatives, and methods of making and using those same polymers. For example, the starting materials can, e.g., citronellol, prenol, isocitronellol and isoprenol.

The present invention relates to a haloalkenyl alkoxymethyl ether compound of the following general formula (1): R.sup.1CH.sub.2OCH.sub.2OCH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aX.sup.1 (1) wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, an n-alkyl group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, X.sup.1 represents a halogen atom, and “a” represents an integer of 3 to 14. The present invention also relates to processes for preparing a terminal conjugated alkadien-1-yl acetate compound of the following general formula (5): CH.sub.2═CHCH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aOAc (5) wherein “a” is as defined above, and Ac represents an acetyl group, and a terminal conjugated alkadien-1-ol compound of the following general formula (6): CH.sub.2═CHCH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aOH (6) wherein “a” is as defined above, from the haloalkenyl alkoxymethyl ether compound (1).

The present invention relates to a haloalkenyl alkoxymethyl ether compound of the following general formula (1): R.sup.1CH.sub.2OCH.sub.2OCH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aX.sup.1 (1) wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, an n-alkyl group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, X.sup.1 represents a halogen atom, and “a” represents an integer of 3 to 14. The present invention also relates to processes for preparing a terminal conjugated alkadien-1-yl acetate compound of the following general formula (5): CH.sub.2═CHCH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aOAc (5) wherein “a” is as defined above, and Ac represents an acetyl group, and a terminal conjugated alkadien-1-ol compound of the following general formula (6): CH.sub.2═CHCH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aOH (6) wherein “a” is as defined above, from the haloalkenyl alkoxymethyl ether compound (1).

Catalyst compositions are prepared by contacting a palladium source and 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaadamantane and a methoxyocta-diene compound, in a primary aliphatic alcohol, under suitable conditions including a ratio of equivalents of palladium to equivalents of 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaadamantane ranging from greater than 1:1 to 1:1.3. The result is a complex of palladium, a 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaada-mantane ligand, and a ligand selected from a methoxyoctadiene ligand, an octadienyl ligand, or a protonated octadienyl. Such complexes may, in solution, exhibit surprising solubility and storage stability and are useful in the telomerization of butadiene, which is a step in the production of 1-octene.

Catalyst compositions are prepared by contacting a palladium source and 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaadamantane and a methoxyocta-diene compound, in a primary aliphatic alcohol, under suitable conditions including a ratio of equivalents of palladium to equivalents of 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaadamantane ranging from greater than 1:1 to 1:1.3. The result is a complex of palladium, a 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaada-mantane ligand, and a ligand selected from a methoxyoctadiene ligand, an octadienyl ligand, or a protonated octadienyl. Such complexes may, in solution, exhibit surprising solubility and storage stability and are useful in the telomerization of butadiene, which is a step in the production of 1-octene.

The present invention provides a process for preparing a terminal conjugated alkadienal compound of the following general formula (5):
CH.sub.2═CHCH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aCHO   (5)
wherein “a” represents an integer of 1 to 15, from a dialkoxyalkenyl alkoxymethyl ether compound of the following general formula (1):
R.sup.1CH.sub.2OCH.sub.2OCH.sub.2CH.sub.2CH═CH(CH.sub.2).sub.aCH(OR.sup.2)(OR.sup.3)   (1)
wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom, an n-alkyl group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 represent, independently of each other, a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 may form together a divalent hydrocarbon group, R.sup.2-R.sup.3, having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, and “a” is as defined above.