The present disclosure relates to methods for preparing cyclic acetals from the catalytic transformation of bio-derived aldehydes with 2,3-butanediol. The methods operate in a solvent-free reaction system and provide isolation of the product acetals through phase separation and subsequent decantation. The cyclic acetals exhibit excellent properties for blending with diesel fuel, including increased cetane number and density, and decreased viscosity, freezing point, and soot formation.

A bio-organic composition includes residues of a fatty acid glyceride-containing composition, residues of a first epoxide or glycol, and the residues of a second epoxide. The fatty acid glyceride-containing composition is characterized by the viscosity at room temperature. The first epoxide or glycol and second epoxides are present in a sufficient amount that the room temperature viscosity of the bio-organic composition is lower than the room temperature viscosity of the vegetable oil prior to formulation and/or the first epoxide or glycol and second epoxides are present in a sufficient amount that the pour point of the bio-organic composition is lower than the pour point of the fatty acid glyceride-containing composition prior to formulation.

A bio-organic composition includes residues of a fatty acid glyceride-containing composition, residues of a first epoxide or glycol, and the residues of a second epoxide. The fatty acid glyceride-containing composition is characterized by the viscosity at room temperature. The first epoxide or glycol and second epoxides are present in a sufficient amount that the room temperature viscosity of the bio-organic composition is lower than the room temperature viscosity of the vegetable oil prior to formulation and/or the first epoxide or glycol and second epoxides are present in a sufficient amount that the pour point of the bio-organic composition is lower than the pour point of the fatty acid glyceride-containing composition prior to formulation.

Ethylene-C.sub.3-C.sub.10 alpha olefin copolymers, dispersants and lubricating oils/fuel compositions incorporating dispersants, and related methods are generally described herein. The copolymer may comprise ethylene-derived units and C.sub.3-C.sub.10 alpha-olefin-derived units. The C.sub.3-C.sub.10 alpha-olefin-derived units may have a carbon number from three to ten. For example, the C.sub.3-C.sub.10 alpha-olefin-derived units may be propylene-derived units. The dispersants may be made from copolymers having low metal and/or fluorine contents.

Ethylene-C.sub.3-C.sub.10 alpha olefin copolymers, dispersants and lubricating oils/fuel compositions incorporating dispersants, and related methods are generally described herein. The copolymer may comprise ethylene-derived units and C.sub.3-C.sub.10 alpha-olefin-derived units. The C.sub.3-C.sub.10 alpha-olefin-derived units may have a carbon number from three to ten. For example, the C.sub.3-C.sub.10 alpha-olefin-derived units may be propylene-derived units. The dispersants may be made from copolymers having low metal and/or fluorine contents.

Disclosed are cloud point depressants and methods of making and using them. The disclosed cloud point depressants comprise copolymers of a maleic moiety polymerized with alpha olefins and then contacted with an aliphatic tertiary amine to provide a cloud depressant reaction product. When the disclosed reactions products are added to middle distillate fuels or blends of middle distillate fuels with biodiesel, the cloud point depressants inhibit the precipitation of waxes and/or biowaxes in the fuels and the fuels exhibit reduced precipitation, gelling, and/or crystallization when subjected to low or cold temperatures.

A paraffin inhibitor composition that exhibits stable properties at low temperature is provided. The composition may contain, for instance, an alkylphenol copolymer having the following repeating units (A) and (B): ##STR00001##
wherein, x is an integer from 1 to 200; y is an integer from 2 to 200; R.sub.1 is a straight or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.15 alkyl; and R.sub.2 is a straight or branched C.sub.16-C.sub.40 alkyl.

An asphaltene dispersant composition is provided. The composition may contain an alkylphenol copolymer having the following repeating units (A) and (B): ##STR00001##
wherein, x is an integer from 1 to 200; y is an integer from 2 to 200; R.sub.1 is a straight or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.15 alkyl; and R.sub.2 is a straight or branched C.sub.2-C.sub.40 alkyl, wherein R.sub.2 is different than R.sub.1.

An alkylphenol copolymer, such as for use in a petroleum composition, is provided. The alkylphenol copolymer has the following repeating units (A) and (B): ##STR00001##
wherein, x is an integer from 1 to 200; y is an integer from 2 to 200; R.sub.1 is a straight or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.15 alkyl; and R.sub.2 is a straight or branched C.sub.2-C.sub.40 alkyl, wherein R.sub.2 is different than R.sub.1.

This disclosure relates to compositions and methods of making an additized fuel composition comprising a base fuel composition and a randomly branched nitrate composition. The randomly branched nitrate composition includes a plurality of primary nitrate molecules, each molecule therein having an empirical chemical formula of CnNO3, wherein Cn is a branched aliphatic moiety which may be the same or different for each molecule, n is an integer selected from the group consisting of 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, at least one carbon atom in the branched aliphatic moiety being bound to three or more carbon atoms, a branching index ranging from 1.8 to 2.2, and greater than 80% of the branches in the aliphatic moiety being in other than the alpha position. The additized fuel composition may be diesel fuel composition or a gasoline fuel composition. Such randomly branched nitrate composition may be more stable, and thus safer to handle than 2-ethylhexylnitrate and may have a lower overall nitrogen content, leading to lower NOx emissions upon combustion in diesel and gasoline fuel compositions.