Composition and method for preventing or reducing low speed pre-ignition in direct injected spark-ignited engines

Abstract

Disclosed is a lubricating engine oil composition comprising a lubricating oil base stock as a major component, and at least one metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound. Also disclosed is a method for preventing or reducing low speed pre-ignition in a direct injected, boosted, spark ignited internal combustion engine, and the use of at least one metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound in a lubricating engine oil composition for preventing or reducing low speed pre-ignition in a direct injected, boosted, spark ignited internal combustion engine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lubricating oil composition comprising a metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound selected from the group consisting of silicon hydrides, germanium hydrides, and tin hydrides. 
     
     
         2 . The lubricating oil of  claim 1 , wherein the metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound has the following formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  are each independently selected from hydrogen atom, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, —(OR 4 ), —NR 5 R 6 , —O(═O)R 7 , or chlorine atom, such that not more than one of R, 1 , R 2 , and R 3  are a hydrogen atom; R 4  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 5  is H, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 6  is H, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 7  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group; and M is a silicon atom, germanium atom, or tin atom. 
       
     
     
         3 . The lubricating oil of  claim 2 , wherein the metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound has the following formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 2  and R 3  are each independently selected from a C6-C14 aryl group, alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, —(OR 4 ), —NR 5 R 6 , —O(═O)R 7 , or chlorine atom, R 4  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 5  is H, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 6  is H, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 7  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group; and M is a silicon atom, germanium atom, or tin atom. 
       
     
     
         4 . The lubricating oil of  claim 2 , wherein the metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound has the following formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  are each independently selected from hydrogen atom, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, —(OR 4 ), —NR 5 R 6 , —O(═O)R 7 , or chlorine atom, such that not more than one of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  are a hydrogen atom; R 4  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 5  is H, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 6  is H, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, and R 7  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group. 
       
     
     
         5 . The lubricating oil of  claim 4 , wherein the metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound has the following formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein where R 2  and R 3  are each independently selected from hydrogen atom, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, —(OR 4 ), —NR 5 R 6 , —O(═O)R 7 , or chlorine atom, R 4  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 5  is H, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 6  is H, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, and R 7  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group. 
       
     
     
         6 . The lubricating oil composition of  claim 2 , wherein the metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound has the following formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  are each independently selected from hydrogen atom, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, —(OR 4 ), —NR 5 R 6 , —O(═O)R 7 , or chlorine atom, such that not more than one of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  are a hydrogen atom; R 4  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 5  is H, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 6  is H, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, and R 7  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group. 
       
     
     
         7 . The lubricating oil composition of  claim 2 , wherein the metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound has the following formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  are each independently selected from hydrogen atom, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, —(OR 4 ), —NR 5 R 6 , —O(═O)R 7 , or chlorine atom, such that not more than one of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  are a hydrogen atom; R 4  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 5  is H, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, R 6  is H, a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, and R 7  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group. 
       
     
     
         8 . The lubricating oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound has the following formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein is R 8  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group, or a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group; and n is 0 or an integer from 1 to 400. 
       
     
     
         9 . The lubricating oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound has the following formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein n is 0 or an integer from 1 to 400. 
       
     
     
         10 . The lubricating oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound has the following formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 9  is a C6-C14 aryl group, saturated or unsaturated C1-C30 alkyl group; and m is an integer from 1 to 20. 
       
     
     
         11 . The lubricating oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a detergent selected from calcium detergents, magnesium detergents, sodium detergents, lithium detergents, and potassium detergents. 
     
     
         12 . The lubricating oil composition of  claim 11 , wherein the detergent is a carboxylate, salicylate, phenate, or sulfonate detergent. 
     
     
         13 . The lubricating oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a molybdenum containing compound. 
     
     
         14 . The lubricating oil composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one other additive selected from an ashless dispersant, an ashless antioxidant, a phosphorus- containing anti-wear additive, a friction modifier, and a polymeric viscosity modifier. 
     
     
         15 . A method for preventing or reducing low speed pre-ignition in a direct injected, boosted, spark ignited internal combustion engine, said method comprising the step of lubricating the crankcase of the engine with a lubricating oil composition comprising from about 25 to about 3000 ppm of metal from at least one metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound selected from the group consisting of silicon hydrides, germanium hydrides, and tin hydrides, based on the total weight of the lubricating oil composition. 
     
     
         16 . Use of at least one metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound selected from the group consisting of silicon hydrides, germanium hydrides, and tin hydrides in a lubricating engine oil composition for preventing or reducing low speed pre-ignition in a direct injected, boosted, spark ignited internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         17 . The use according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one metal or metalloid hydrogen atom donor compound is present at from about 25 to about 3000 ppm of metal from the metal hydride, based on the total weight of the lubricating oil composition. 
     
     
         18 . The use according to  claim 16  wherein the engine is a down-sized boosted engine ranging from 0.5 liters to 3.6 liters.