N,n'-Dialkyl-N,n'-Diphenyl Alkylene Diamine Derivatives as Antiknock Agents

Aniline and certain alkyl derivatives thereof are known antiknock agents. However, aniline derivatives which are also tertiary amines--i.e., those containing no N--H bonds--are poor antiknock agents. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,523,769 and 3,706,541 whose disclosures are incorporated herein by reference deal with the use of aniline and aniline-based diamines as antiknock agents.

It has been discovered that N-substituted bis-anilines containing few, if any N--H groups are effective antiknock additives for fuel compositions.

It is an object of the invention to produce useful antiknock agents.

It is another object of the invention to improve the combustion properties of fuels via the use of certain additives.

The antiknock agents employed in the invention conform to the formula ##STR2## wherein R is a methylene or methyl methylene link, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently hydrogen or hydrocarbon-based groups, and R.sup.3, and R.sup.4, and R.sup.5 are independently hydrogen, or hydrocarbon-based groups.

R is a hydrocarbyl linkage containing at least one carbon atom. Preferably, R contains 1 or 2 carbon atoms, such as --CH.sub.2 --, and --CH(CH.sub.3). Most preferably, R is a methylene link.

R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 can be the same or different. Each can be hydrogen. Each can contain from 1 to 12 carbon atoms. Suitable R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 groups include methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, benzyl and cyclohexyl groups. Preferably, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are hydrocarbon groups containing from 1 to 7 carbon atoms. Most preferably, they are both methyl groups.

R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, and R.sup.8 can be the same or different. Each contains from 0 to 20 carbon atoms. Generally these substituents are selected from hydrogen and hydrocarbon groups, e.g., methyl, ethyl, n-butyl, phenyl, methylphenyl, t-butyl, and isopropyl. They may be aliphatic, branched, cyclic, saturated or unsaturated. Preferably R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, and R.sup.8 are alkyl groups containing one to seven carbon atoms. Most preferably, one or more are methyl groups. Compounds in which one or two methyl groups are para to the N atoms are highly preferred.

The identity of each of the monovalent substituents--i.e. R.sup.1 through R.sup.8 --depends upon the method of preparation of the compound and the starting materials employed. In one preferred embodiment, N-methyl aniline is reacted with formaldehyde to produce bis(N-methyl anilino) methane, also called N,N'-dimethyl,-N,N'-diphenyl methylene diamine. One or more other aldehydes, such as acetaldehyde can be employed as reactants. Acetaldehyde reacts with N-methyl aniline to form N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-diphenyl ethylidene diamine, or with N-methyl-p-toluidine to form N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-(4,4'-dimethyl)diphenyl ethylidene diamine.

The method used to produce the antiknock agents of the invention is not critical. It is believed that the tertiary amines used in the invention can be acquired by reacting suitable phenols and amines; by isolating by-products from colorant manufacturing processes; and by hydrotreating lignite coal, coal tars, shale oil, or tar sands.

The inventive antiknock agents are admixed with one or more fuel components. Suitable fuel components with which the inventive agents can be mixed include gasoline, benzene, fuel oil, and kerosene. One or more additives are used in amounts which improve the combustion properties of the fuels to which they are added. Generally, a small but effective amount, sufficient to impart reduced knocking tendencies will be added. The quantity of antiknock agent employed will be between 0.1 and 15 weight percent, based on the weight of the fuel component(s). Preferred quantities lie between about 0.5 and 5 wt. %.

Additional ingredients, such as detergents, flow modifiers, corrosion inhibitors, emulsifiers, and gum inhibitors, can be employed along with the additive of the invention in fuel compositions.

The antiknock and octane-boosting properties of the additives of this invention are demonstrated by the following examples.

This example describes the evaluation of the inventive and comparative reference compounds as antiknock additives for unleaded gasoline. Antiknock activity is defined as the increase in Research Octant Number (RON) of a 0.1 molar solution of the compound to be tested in gasoline compared to the same gasoline without the additive. The RON values reported herein were determined according to a modified procedure outlined by the American Society of Testing and Materials titled "Standard Method of Test for Knock Characteristics of Motor Fuels by the Research Method". This method is designated as ASTM D2699-75. The modification used here was to compare the maximum knock air/fuel ratio of gasoline having the additive with 2 reference fuels having RON about 2 units less and greater than the test composition, then making a straight line extrapolation to determine the RON of the test composition. The unleaded gasoline used for this test is FT175, an unleaded fuel (Kansas City Premium Pipeline Base gasoline from Phillips Petroleum Co). Its characteristics are listed in Table I.

In Table II are listed the results of antiknock tests employing two inventive additives and a comparative additive. The designation .DELTA.RON is the difference of the base gasoline and the RON of the source base gasoline with the antiknock additive. Methyl-t-butyl ether (MTBE) is commercially available and well known as an octane improver.

The examples recited above demonstrate the effectiveness of the inventive anti-knock agents as octane improvers. In the tests given above, they outperformed MTBE in improving the combustion properties of the test gasoline.