Natural Oil Metathesis Compositions and Methods

Abstract

A metathesized natural oil composition comprising (i) a mixture olefins and/or esters, or (ii) a metathesized natural oil, is disclosed. The metathesized natural oil composition has a number average molecular weight in the range from about 100 g/mol to about 150,000 g/mol, a weight average molecular weight in the range from about 1,000 g/mol to about 100,000 g/mol, a z-average molecular weight in the range from about 5,000 g/mol to about 1,000,000 g/mol, and a polydispersity index of about 1 to about 20. The metathesized natural oil composition is metathesized at least once.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method of making a metathesized natural oil composition comprising one or more metathesis oligomers, the method comprising:
 providing natural oil glycerides, wherein the natural oil glycerides comprise metathesized natural oil glycerides, which are formed by the cross-metathesis of a natural oil glycerides with C 2 -C 6  low-molecular-weight olefins; and   reacting the natural oil glycerides in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to form metathesis oligomers;   wherein the metathesis oligomers have a weight average molecular weight in the range from 1,000 g/mol to 100,000 g/mol.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the metathesis oligomers have a weight average molecular weight in the range from 2,500 g/mol to 50,000 g/mol. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the metathesis oligomers have a weight average molecular weight in the range from 7,000 g/mol to 35,000 g/mol. 
     
     
         20 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the C 2 -C 6  low-molecular-weight olefins are selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 2-butene, and isobutene.