The present disclosure generally relates to process to produce a poly alpha-olefin (PAO), comprising: a) introducing a first alpha-olefin to a first catalyst system comprising non-aromatic hydrocarbon soluble activator and a metallocene compound into a continuous stirred tank reactor or a continuous tubular reactor under first reactor conditions, wherein the first alpha-olefin is preferably introduced to the reactor at a flow rate of about 100 g/hr or more, to form a first reactor effluent comprising PAO (such as at least 60 wt % of PAO dimer and 40 wt % or less of higher oligomers, where the higher oligomers are oligomers that have a degree of polymerization of 3 or more); and b) introducing the first reactor effluent and a second alpha-olefin to a second catalyst composition comprising an acid catalyst, such as BF.sub.3, in a second reactor to form a second reactor effluent comprising PAO trimer.

Disclosed herein are compositions containing branched C.sub.20 2-substituted alpha olefins and processes for making the compositions by dimerization reaction of a C.sub.10 olefin composition.

A catalyst system that may reduce polymeric fouling may include at least one titanate compound, at least one aluminum compound, and an antifouling agent. The antifouling agent may be chosen from one or more of a phosphonium or phosphonium salt; a sulfonate or a sulfonate salt; a sulfonium or sulfonium salt; an ester including a cyclic moiety; an anhydride; a polyether; and a long-chained amine-capped compound. The catalyst system may further include a non-polymeric ether compound.

A catalyst system that may reduce polymeric fouling may include at least one titanate compound, at least one aluminum compound, and an antifouling agent. The antifouling agent may be chosen from one or more of a phosphonium or phosphonium salt; a sulfonate or a sulfonate salt; a sulfonium or sulfonium salt; an ester including a cyclic moiety; an anhydride; a polyether; and a long-chained amine-capped compound. The catalyst system may further include a non-polymeric ether compound.

A catalyst system that may reduce polymeric fouling may include at least one titanate compound, at least one aluminum compound, and an antifouling agent. The antifouling agent may be chosen from one or more of a phosphonium or phosphonium salt; a sulfonate or a sulfonate salt; a sulfonium or sulfonium salt; an ester including a cyclic moiety; an anhydride; a polyether; and a long-chained amine-capped compound. The catalyst system may further include a non-polymeric ether compound.

A catalyst system that may reduce polymeric fouling may include at least one titanate compound, at least one aluminum compound, and an antifouling agent. The antifouling agent may be chosen from one or more of a phosphonium or phosphonium salt; a sulfonate or a sulfonate salt; a sulfonium or sulfonium salt; an ester including a cyclic moiety; an anhydride; a polyether; and a long-chained amine-capped compound. The catalyst system may further include a non-polymeric ether compound.

Disclosed herein are compositions containing branched C.sub.20 2-substituted alpha olefins and processes for making the compositions by dimerization reaction of a C.sub.10 olefin composition.

A method for producing an α-olefin oligomer, the method including subjecting α-olefin to oligomerization reaction to produce an α-olefin oligomer mixture, carrying out distillation separation of α-olefin oligomer having less than n carbon atoms in the mixture to obtain a distillation residue containing α-olefin oligomer having n or more carbon atoms, and then carrying out a step of removing high molecular weight molecules from the distillation residue.

The present disclosure generally relates to process to produce a poly alpha-olefin (PAO), comprising: a) introducing a first alpha-olefin to a first catalyst system comprising non-aromatic hydrocarbon soluble activator and a metallocene compound into a continuous stirred tank reactor or a continuous tubular reactor under first reactor conditions, wherein the first alpha-olefin is preferably introduced to the reactor at a flow rate of about 100 g/hr or more, to form a first reactor effluent comprising PAO (such as at least 60 wt % of PAO dimer and 40 wt % or less of higher oligomers, where the higher oligomers are oligomers that have a degree of polymerization of 3 or more); and b) introducing the first reactor effluent and a second alpha-olefin to a second catalyst composition comprising an acid catalyst, such as BF.sub.3, in a second reactor to form a second reactor effluent comprising PAO trimer.

A method for processing an oligomerization product stream includes discharging the oligomerization product stream from an oligomerization reactor through a product outlet line, and heating the oligomerization product stream, heating a wall of the product outlet line, or both. The oligomerization product stream includes solvent, linear alpha olefins, a polymer byproduct, or a combination of at least one of the foregoing. The heating is to a temperature that is greater than the melting temperature of the polymer byproduct present in the oligomerization product stream.