LIGHT-COLORED, HIGH SOFTENING POINT HYDROCARBON RESINS AND METHOD FOR THEIR PREPARATION

1345619 Petroleum resins EASTMAN KODAK CO 26 Aug 1971 [27 Aug 1970] 40114/71 Heading C3P Light coloured, high softening point resins are prepared by polymerizing debutanized aromatic concentrate-B with aluminium chloride as catalyst in a two-stage reaction at 50‹ to 100‹ C. for 6 to 10 hours in the first stage and at 125‹ to 150‹ C. for 6 to 10 hours in the second stage, to obtain a solution of crude resin, removing chlorides from the solution by methanol extraction or high temperature lime treatment followed by hydrogenation at 100 to 1000 psig. and/or alumina treatment, followed by hydrogenation at 3000 to 6000 psig. and above 300‹ C. to remove colour and reduce unsaturation, and thereafter stripping the resin solution to obtain the hydrocarbon resin. The methanol extraction may be effected at 40‹ to 65‹C. or the lime treatment at 230‹ to 250‹ C. The low pressure hydrogenation may be effected at 260‹ to 280‹ C. in the presence of supported nickel catalyst or at 290‹ to 310‹ C. in the presence of a palladium or alumina catalyst. The high pressure hydrogenation may be effected at 315‹ to 325‹ C. over a nickel catalyst. Apparatus for conducting the process continuously is described and illustrated.