Method of making hydrocarbon liquids

Abstract

A method of marking a hydrocarbon liquid includes the step of adding to the liquid, as a tracer compound, a compound of Formula I: wherein at least one of R 1 -R 4 is selected from: i. a bromine or fluorine atom; ii. a partially or fully halogenated alkyl group; iii. a branched or cyclic C 4 -C 20 alkyl group; iv. an aliphatic substituent linking two positions selected from R 1 -R 4 in Formula I to one another; or v. a phenyl group substituted with a halogen atom, an aliphatic group or halogenated aliphatic group. The tracer compounds are resistant to removal from the fuel by chemical laundering or by contact with absorbents such as charcoal.

1 . A composition comprising a hydrocarbon fuel or octane and a tracer compound, characterised in that said tracer compound comprises a compound of Formula I: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein at least one of R 1 -R 4  is selected from a group consisting of:
 i. a bromine or fluorine atom; 
 ii. a partially or fully halogenated alkyl group; 
 iii. a branched or cyclic C 4 -C 20  alkyl group; 
 iv. an aliphatic substituent linking two positions selected from R 1 -R 4  in Formula I to one another; and 
 v. a phenyl group substituted with a halogen atom, an aliphatic group or halogenated aliphatic group; 
 
         and further wherein none of R 1 -R 4  consists of a hydroxyl group or an amino group. 
       
     
     
         2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said tracer compound is present at a concentration of from 1 to 500 ppbv. 
     
     
         3 . The composition according to  claim 1 , comprising more than one tracer compound. 
     
     
         4 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon fuel or octane comprises a diesel fuel, a gasoline fuel or a solvent. 
     
     
         5 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein at least 50% of the tracer compound is retained in the hydrocarbon fuel or octane after a sample of the hydrocarbon fuel or octane containing from 10 to 15 ppbv of the tracer compound has passed through a column of fresh activated charcoal. 
     
     
         6 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 50% of the tracer compound is retained in the hydrocarbon fuel or octane after a sample of the hydrocarbon fuel or octane containing from 10 to 15 ppbv of the tracer compound has passed through a column of fresh powdered sepiolitic clay. 
     
     
         7 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 50% of the tracer compound is retained in the hydrocarbon fuel or octane after a sample of the hydrocarbon fuel or octane containing from 10 to 15 ppbv of the tracer compound has been vigorously agitated in contact with 10% aqueous HCl. 
     
     
         8 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 50% of the tracer compound is retained in the hydrocarbon fuel or octane after a sample of the hydrocarbon fuel or octane containing from 10 to 15 ppbv of the tracer compound has been vigorously agitated in contact with 10% aqueous NaOH. 
     
     
         9 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 50% of the tracer compound is retained in the hydrocarbon fuel or octane after a sample of the hydrocarbon fuel or octane containing from 10 to 15 ppbv of the tracer compound has been vigorously agitated in contact with methanolic KOH.