Processes for the conversion of low molecular weight olefins are well known in the prior art. Representative of some of the early work in this area are U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,140,249; 3,140,251; 3,140,253; 3,140,322; and 2,972,643.
The conversion of paraffins, olefins and/or naphthenes to aromatics using a ZSM-5 catalyst is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,942. The conversion of olefins to aromatics by use of ZSM-5 and ZSM-8 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,024. The prior art relating to olefin conversion over ZSM-type catalysts also includes numerous process related patents including: U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,501 (co-feed air with olefins over ZSM-5); U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,968 (ZSM-5 in a two step process); U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,978 (ion-exchange and/or steamed ZSM-5 or ZSM-11); U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,502 (olefin conversion using ZSM-5, ZSM-12, ZSM-18, chabazite and beta zeolite under controlled process conditions); U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,062 (use of co-fed water with olefins over ZSM-5); U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,992 (ethylene/propylene conversion over ZSM-12 employing controlled process conditions).
The above processes employ the aluminosilicates generally known as "ZSM-type" aluminosilicates. Accordingly, such processes do not relate to a process or processes employing non-zeolitic molecular sieves. The use of certain novel non-zeolitic molecular sieves as "polymerization" catalysts to produce high boiling polymerization products is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,440,871 (SAPOs), 4,500,651 (TAPOs) 4,567,029 (MeAPOs and MAPOs) and 4,554,143 (FAPOs). The oligomerization of linear and/or branched C.sub.2 to C.sub.12 olefins is not disclosed in the aforementioned patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,440, discloses the aluminophosphates (AlPO.sub.4) may be employed as polymerization catalysts.