Process for removing triorganophosphine from a liquid composition

A process for removing triorganophosphine selected from the class consisting of triarylphosphine and alkyl substituted phosphine of the formula ##STR12## wherein R is an alkyl radical, R' is an alkyl or aryl radical and R" is an aryl radical from a liquid rhodium containing composition or a rhodium containing concentrate of said composition, said process comprising

• (1) mixing (a) a rhodium containing composition comprising a rhodium complex hydroformylation catalyst, triarylphosphine and alkyl substituted phosphine of formula (I) above, or (b) a rhodium containing concentrate of said composition, with an .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated compound selected from the group consisting of compounds having the formula ##STR13## wherein X is a radical selected from the group consisting of ##STR14## --CN, --Cl, --Br, --I, --NO.sub.2, and --OR.sup.7 ;
• R.sup.6 is a radical selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, hydroxy, alkoxy, amino and halogen;
• R.sup.7 is an alkyl or aryl radical;
• and R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are each individually radicals selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, X radicals as defined above and --CH.sub.2 X radicals wherein X is the same as defined above;
• and wherein R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 taken together can form an alkylene group having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms;
• and anhydrides of the carboxylic acids of said .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated formula compounds;
• (2) allowing an aqueous mixture of said step (1) to settle into two distinct liquid phases, and
• (3) separating the aqueous phase which contains the solubilized reaction products of the alkyl substituted phosphine and/or triarylphosphine present in said composition or concentrate with said .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated compound from the non-aqueous liquid phase resulting from said steps (1) and (2);
• and wherein the molar ratio of the amount of said .alpha., .beta.-unsaturated compound employed to the total amount of the alkyl substituted phosphine and/or triarylphosphine present in said composition or concentrate is at least 0.1 to 1;
• and wherein the amount of water employed is at least sufficient to solubilize that amount of the reaction products of said phosphines with said .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated compound resulting from said steps (1) and (2).