Hydroformylation process utilizing novel catalyst

Abstract

The instant invention relates to a novel hydroformylation catalyst comprising a composite of rhodium metal or a rhodium metal compound and a compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the general formula M(O.sub.3 ZO.sub.x R).sub.n wherein M comprises a tetravalent metal, Z comprises a pentavalent atom, R is selected from the group consisting of organo radicals comprising a moiety selected from the group consisting of phosphine radicals; x is 0 or 1, and n is 2, provided that n is 1 when R is terminated with a tri- or tetra-oxy pentavalent atom. This catalyst is useful in hydroformylation processes which comprise contacting said catalyst with an olefin, at conditions sufficient to convert said olefin into an aldehyde or an alcohol. For example, 1-hexene may be hydroformylated to a mixture comprising heptylaldehyde isomers and propylene may be hydroformylated to n-butyraldehyde by means of a hydroformylation catalyst comprising a composite RhCl(CO)(PC.sub.6 H.sub.5).sub.2 and Zr(O.sub.3 PC.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.4/3 [O.sub.3 P(CH.sub.2).sub.3 (PC.sub.6 H.sub.5).sub.2 ].sub.2/3.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.