The present invention concerns a process for oligomerizing an olefin feedstock to form an oligomerization product, and a method of controlling such an oligomerization process. The process comprises oligomerizing propylene to form a C.sub.n olefin, including contacting a feed stream comprising propylene and a recycle fraction with a solid phosphoric acid oligomerization catalyst under effective oligomerization conditions in an oligomerization reactor to produce an oligomerization effluent; and fractionating the oligomerization effluent to obtain a product fraction and the recycle fraction, the product fraction comprising the C.sub.n olefin and the recycle fraction comprising a C.sub.n-3 olefin; wherein the recycle fraction comprises at least 80 wt % of the C.sub.n-3 olefin, based on the weight of the recycle fraction; and wherein n is 9, or 12.

The present invention concerns a process for oligomerizing an olefin feedstock to form an oligomerization product, and a method of controlling such an oligomerization process. The process comprises oligomerizing propylene to form a C.sub.n olefin, including contacting a feed stream comprising propylene and a recycle fraction with a solid phosphoric acid oligomerization catalyst under effective oligomerization conditions in an oligomerization reactor to produce an oligomerization effluent; and fractionating the oligomerization effluent to obtain a product fraction and the recycle fraction, the product fraction comprising the C.sub.n olefin and the recycle fraction comprising a C.sub.n-3 olefin; wherein the recycle fraction comprises at least 80 wt % of the C.sub.n-3 olefin, based on the weight of the recycle fraction; and wherein n is 9, or 12.

Oligomerizing C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 olefins over a SPA catalyst provides an oligomerate product stream comprising C.sub.6+ olefins that meets a gasoline T-90 specification of 380 F. The oligomerate product stream can be taken to the gasoline pool without further upgrading.

Oligomerizing C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 olefins over a SPA catalyst provides an oligomerate product stream comprising C.sub.6+ olefins that meets a gasoline T-90 specification of 380 F. The oligomerate product stream can be taken to the gasoline pool without further upgrading.

Oligomerizing C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 olefins over a SPA catalyst provides an oligomerate product stream comprising C.sub.6+ olefins that meets a gasoline T-90 specification of 380 F. The oligomerate product stream can be taken to the gasoline pool without further upgrading.

Process for converting an olefin containing hydrocarbon feed into an oligomerization product or a hydrogenated oligomerization product, comprising contacting the feed in a reactor with an oligomerization catalyst under conditions suitable to oligomerize the olefin to obtain an oligomerization product and optionally hydrogenating the oligomerization product wherein the content of the at least one C.sub.4-, C.sub.5-, C.sub.6- or C.sub.7-cyclic olefin in the feed is controlled.

Process for converting an olefin containing hydrocarbon feed into an oligomerization product or a hydrogenated oligomerization product, comprising contacting the feed in a reactor with an oligomerization catalyst under conditions suitable to oligomerize the olefin to obtain an oligomerization product and optionally hydrogenating the oligomerization product wherein the content of the at least one C.sub.4-, C.sub.5-, C.sub.6- or C.sub.7-cyclic olefin in the feed is controlled.

The present disclosure relates to solid phosphoric acid (SPA) catalyst compositions useful in the formation of hydrocarbons, such as the oligomerization of olefins, prepared from formable mixtures that comprise a phosphate source and a siliceous support material source in amounts, for example, such that the ratio of the phosphate source and the siliceous support material source is within the range of about 2.9:1 to about 3.4:1 calculated on a weight basis as H.sub.3PO.sub.4:SiO.sub.2, and a dry particulate material.

The present disclosure relates to solid phosphoric acid (SPA) catalyst compositions useful in the formation of hydrocarbons, such as the oligomerization of olefins, prepared from formable mixtures that comprise a phosphate source and a siliceous support material source in amounts, for example, such that the ratio of the phosphate source and the siliceous support material source is within the range of about 2.9:1 to about 3.4:1 calculated on a weight basis as H.sub.3PO.sub.4:SiO.sub.2, and a dry particulate material.

Oligomer products are produced by reacting an alpha olefin and a vinylidene compound in the presence of a solid catalyst, such as a solid oxide or a chemically-treated solid oxide. Metallocene compounds, organoaluminum compounds, and BF.sub.3 are not needed to perform the reaction. Oligomer products formed by processes disclosed herein have a trimer:tetramer weight ratio of at least 2:1.