The present invention generally relates to lubricating oil compositions useful for reducing NOACK volatility in finished lubricating oils of an internal combustion engine. Also disclosed is a method for reducing NOACK volatility in finished lubricating oils in said engine.

Compounds having the formula (F-I) below are provided herein: ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 at each occurrence are independently a C.sub.1-C.sub.5000 alkyl group; R.sup.3 at each occurrence is independently hydrogen or a C.sub.1-C.sub.5000 alkyl group; R.sup.4 is a C.sub.1-C.sub.50 alkyl group or an unsubstituted or substituted phenyl group; R.sup.5 at each occurrence is independently hydrogen or a C.sub.1-C.sub.30 alkyl group; n is 1, 2, 3, or 4; and m+n is 5. Processes for preparing compounds of formula (F-I) as well as base stock and lubricant compositions containing compounds of formula (F-I) are also provided.

Provided herein are hydrocarbon mixtures with controlled structure characteristics that address the performance requirements for finished lubricants driven by the stricter environmental and fuel economy regulations. The branching characteristics of the hydrocarbon molecules are controlled to provide a composition that has a unique and superior viscosity-temperature relationship and Noack volatility. An important aspect of the present invention relates to a saturated hydrocarbon mixture with at least 80% of the molecules having an even carbon number, with the branching characteristic of BP/BI in the range≥−0.6037 (Internal alkyl branching)+2.0, where on average at least 0.3 to 1.5 of the internal methyl branches are located more than 4 carbons away from the terminal carbon when analyzed by carbon NMR. The saturated hydrocarbon mixture with such unique branching structure consistently exhibits a stand out performance in the cold crank simulated viscosity (CCS) vs Noack volatility relationship, which allows for the formulation of lower viscosity engine oils with improved fuel economies.

An aspect of the present invention relates to a lubricant composition containing at least: (A) 50 to 80 mass % of silicone oil represented by formula (1) below, and having a mass-average molecular weight of 900 to 4000, a ratio (C/Si ratio) of carbon to silicon of 3.03 or higher in the structure, and a viscosity index (VI) of 300 or higher; (B) 10 to 49 mass % of hydrocarbon-based lubricant; and (C) 1 to 10 mass % of antioxidant.

Lubricating compositions for motor vehicles are disclosed. The lubricating composition is of grade according to the SAE J300 classification defined by the formula (X)W(Y), wherein X represents 0 or 5; and Y represents an integer ranging from 4 to 20; and comprises at least one diester of formula R.sup.a—C(O)—O—([C(R).sub.2].sub.n—O).sub.s—C(O)—R.sup.b (I). The composition may be used as a lubricant for an engine, in particular a vehicle engine, to reduce the fuel consumption of the engine and to improve engine cleanliness

A comb polymer can be used for reducing a Noack evaporation loss of a lubricant composition, especially of an engine oil composition. Application of the comb polymer to the lubricant composition can bring about the desired reduction. The comb polymer can include specified amounts of macromonomer and alkyl acrylates. Resulting lubricant compositions can include the comb polymer.

The invention provides a lubricating composition comprising a low viscosity base oil and a synergistic mixture of a functionalized ethylene-α-olefin copolymer, a poly(meth)acrylate polymer, and a metal-free anti-wear agent. The invention also provides a method of lubricating an internal combustion engine using such a lubricating composition.

The present disclosure generally relates to processes to produce alpha-olefin oligomers and poly alpha-olefins. In an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a process to produce a poly alpha-olefin (PAO), the process including: introducing a C.sub.6-C.sub.32 alpha-olefin and a catalyst system comprising activator and a metallocene compound into a continuous stirred tank reactor or a continuous tubular reactor under reaction conditions, wherein the alpha-olefin is introduced to the reactor at a flow rate of about 100 g/hr or more; and obtaining a product comprising PAO dimer and optional higher oligomers of alpha-olefin, or a combination thereof, the PAO dimer comprising 96 mol % or more of vinylidene, based on total moles of vinylidene, disubstituted vinylene, and trisubstituted vinylene in the product. In at least one embodiment, a process includes functionalizing and/or hydrogenating a PAO product of the present disclosure. In at least one embodiment, a blend includes a PAO product of the present disclosure.

This invention provides a lubricating oil composition for automobile transmission that includes: as low-viscosity base oils: (i) between 45 and 95 mass % of a Fischer-Tropsch synthetic low-viscosity base oil with a 100° C. kinematic viscosity of between 1 mm.sup.2/s and 2 mm.sup.2/s, and between 0 and 25 mass % of other than a Fischer-Tropsch synthetic low-viscosity base oil with a 100° C. kinematic viscosity of between 1 mm.sup.2/s and 2 mm.sup.2/s, and (ii) between 0 and 35 mass % of a base oil wherein the 100° C. kinematic viscosity is greater that 2 mm.sup.2/s and no greater than 5 mm.sup.2/s; and (iii) between 5 and 55 mass % of an olefin polymer or copolymer, as a high-viscosity base oil, wherein the 100° C. kinematic viscosity is between 100 and 800 mm.sup.2/s. A lubricating oil composition for an automatic transmission wherein the 100° C. kinematic viscosity of this composition is between 3.8 and 5.5 mm.sup.2/s, the viscosity index is no less than 190, the flashpoint is no less than 140° C., and the reduction ratio of the 100° C. kinematic viscosity after shear stability testing, at 60° C. for 20 hours, is maintained at no greater than 3%.

Methods are disclosed for producing renewable base oil and a diesel oil from low-value biological oils. Low-value biological oils containing free fatty acids and fatty acid esters can be processed into a renewable base oil and a renewable diesel oil by first separating at least part of the saturated free fatty acids from the feedstock and then processing separately this saturated free acid feed in a ketonisation reaction followed by hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation reactions to yield a renewable base oil stream. The remaining free fatty acid depleted feed may be processed in a separate hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation step to yield a renewable diesel stream.