One step process for preparing a 1,3-diol

A hydroformylation catalyst prepared by a process which involves:

• a) forming a complex (A) by contacting a ruthenium (0) compound with a ditertiary phosphine ligand;
• and
• b) forming a complex (B) by subjecting complex (A) to a redox reaction with a cobalt(0) carbonyl compound.

A one step hydroformylation process for preparing a 1,3-diol, comprising the reaction of an oxirane with syngas at hydroformylation conditions in an inert solvent in the presence of a hydroformylation catalyst epared by a process whic nvolves:

• a) forming a complex (A) by contacting a ruthenium (0) compound with a ditertiary phosphine ligand;
• and
• b) forming a complex (B) by subjecting complex (A) to a redox reaction with a cobalt(0) carbonyl compound.

A one step hydroformylation process for preparing a 1,3-diol, comprising the reaction of an oxirane with syngas at hydroformylation conditions in an inert solvent in the presence of a hydroformylation catalyst which is a ruthenium (+1)-phosphine bidentate:cobalt (−1) complex wherein the ligated metal is ruthenium, under conditions which preferably upon completion of the oxirane/syngas reaction cause a phase separation of the reaction mixture into an upper solvent phase which is rich in catalyst and a lower phase which is rich in the 1,3-diol, recycling the upper phase rich in catalyst directly to the hydroformylation reaction for further reaction with previously unreacted starting materials, and recoveri the 1,3-diol from the lo phase rich in 1,3-diol.

A hydroformylation catalyst which is a ruthenium (+1)-phosphine bidentate cobalt (−1) complex wherein the ligated metal is ruthenium.