Methylenically-substituted undecadienes

Abstract

Methylenically-substituted undecadiene compounds having the structural formula: ##STR1## wherein X is selected from the group consisting of lower acyloxy, aryloxy having from 6 to 14 carbon atoms, lower alkoxy and hydroxy, and R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.7, R.sub.8, R.sub.9, R.sub.10, R.sub.11, R.sub.12, R.sub.13, R.sub.14, R.sub.15 and R.sub.16 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl, with the proviso that at least one of R.sub.3, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 and at least one of R.sub.9, R.sub.10, R.sub.11 and R.sub.12 must be hydrogen, are prepared by reacting a diene having the structural formula: ##STR2## with a conjugated diene having the structural formula: ##STR3## in the presence of a rhodium/trivalent phosphorus catalyst, with the atomic ratio of the trivalent phosphorus to the rhodium therein being at least 1.5. The compounds can be hydrogenated and saponified to form known alcohols which are precursors for biodegradable detergents.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.