Hydroformylation process
AssigneeCelanese Corporation
InventorO. Richard Hughes
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Abstract
This invention provides a process for achieving straight chain aldehyde formation from alpha-olefins with improved selectivity efficiency under hydroformylation conditions. The improved hydroformylation results are obtained under mild conditions of temperature and pressure in the presence of a stabilized catalyst complex of rhodium metal, bidentate ligand and monodentate ligand represented by the formula: ##STR1## Illustrative of a preferred bidentate ligand L is 1,1'-bis-(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene. Illustrative of a preferred monodentate ligand L' is diphenylethylphosphine. It is an essential feature of the invention process that the monodentate ligand is provided in a molar excess with respect to the rhodium metal in the stabilized catalyst complex.
Claims26
In a process for the production of an alkanal- 1 by hydroformylation of an alpha-olefin, the improvement which comprises contacting an alpha-olefin with hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a temperature between about 25.degree. C. and 150.degree. C. and a pressure between about 15 and 3000 psi in the presence of a catalyst consisting essentially of a stabilized complex of rhodium metal, bidentate ligand and monodentate ligand, which catalyst components are provided in a molar ratio of 1 mole of bidentate ligand and between about 1.2-800 moles of monodentate ligand per gram atom of rhodium metal in the hydroformylation medium, and said catalyst complex corresponding to the structural formula:
- ##STR14## wherein L is a bidentate ligand having the formula:
- ##STR15## where Q is a group VA element selected from nitrogen, phosphorus and arsenic;
- and R is an organic radical selected from alkyl, aryl, alkoxy-substituted aryl and fluoro-substituted aryl groups containing between one and about twenty carbon atoms;
- and wherein L' is a monodentate ligand having the formula:
- Q'R'.sub.3
- where Q' is a group VA element selected from nitrogen, phosphorus and arsenic;
- R' is an organic radical selected from aliphatic, alicyclic and aromatic groups containing between one and about twenty carbon atoms;
- and the steric parameter .theta. of Q'R'.sub.3 in the catalyst complex is an apex angle between about 135 and 150 degrees.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.