Abstract: This invention relates to additives for oleaginous fluids containing extreme pressure and antiwear agents and containing less than 15 GC area percent higher dialkyl polysulfides and to a process for their production comprising:a) forming a first reaction mass comprising olefin, a sulfur source, and a catalyst;b) heating the first reaction mass to a temperature and for a period of time which is sufficient to form a mixture of dialkyl disulfides, dialkyl trisulfides and higher dialkyl polysulfides;c) forming a second reaction mass comprising the mixture of dialkyl disulfides, dialkyl trisulfides and higher dialkyl polysulfides formed in step (b), an organo phosphorus compound, and optionally an amine;d) heating the second reaction mass to a temperature and for a period of time which are sufficient to convert at least a portion of the higher dialkyl polysulfides to dialkyl trisulfide; ande) recovering said mixed additive containing extreme pressure agents and antiwear agents, wherein said recovered mixed additiv

Abstract: Hydrocarbyl mercaptan is reacted with sulfur in the presence of added alumina catalyst. With tertiary alkyl mercaptans high yields of di-tert-alkyl trisulfides are formed with excellent selectivity. With primary alkyl mercaptans the process can be controlled to form products enriched in either dialkyl disulfides or dialkyl trisulfides, and in either case little or no tetrasulfides are formed. The process is environmentally friendly in that halogen-containing reactants such as sulfur chlorides are not used and thus the products are not contaminated with significant amounts of halogen residues.