Hydroformylation of alkenes to aldehydes
AssigneeDavy McKee (Oil & Chemicals) Limited
InventorsNorman Harris, Thomas F. Shevels
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Abstract
A rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation process in disclosed in which an overhead vapor stream is recovered from the hydroformylation zone containing reactant alkene, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, alkene hydrogenation product(s), aldehyde product and aldehyde condensation products. This vapor stream is subjected to condensation conditions in one or two stages to condense therefrom condensible components comprising unreacted alkene, aldehyde product, and aldehyde condensation products. Non-condensed components of the vapor stream (e.g. H.sub.2 and CO) are recycled to the hydroformylation zone. Unreacted alkene is also recycled in liquid form to the hydroformylation zone.
Claims15
A process for the production of an aldehyde by hydroformylation of an alkene in the presence of a rhodium complex catalyst comprising:
- providing a hydroformylation zone containing a liquid charge comprising (a) a rhodium complex catalyst wherein rhodium is in complex combination with carbon monoxide and a triorganophosphine, (b) excess triorganophosphine, (c) liquid aldehyde product, and (d) polymeric aldehyde condensation products;
- feeding liquid reactant alkene to the hydroformylation zone;
- supplying make up hydrogen and carbon monoxide to the hydroformylation zone;
- maintaining in the hydroformylation zone temperature and pressure conditions effective for the hydroformylation of the reactant alkene;
- recovering from the hydrofromylation zone an overhead vapour stream containing reactant alkene, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, alkene hydrogenation product(s), aldehyde product and aldehyde condensation products;
- subjecting the vapour stream to condensation conditions to condense therefrom condensible components comprising unreacted alkene, aldehyde product, and aldehyde condensation products;
- recycling non-condensed components of the vapour stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide to the hydroformylation zone;
- recovering aldehyde product;
- and
- recycling unreacted alkene in liquid form to the hydroformylation zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.