Transition metal complex catalyzed processes

A hydroformylation process for producing aldehydes which comprises reacting an olefinically unsaturated compound selected from the group consisting of alpha-olefins containing from 2 to 20 carbon atoms, internal olefins containing from 4 to 20 carbon atoms, and mixtures of such alpha and internal olefins with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a rhodium-poly-phosphite complex catalyst consisting of rhodium complexed with carbon monoxide and a poly-phosphite ligand having the formula:

• ##STR25## wherein each Ar group contains from 6 to 18 carbon atoms and represents an identical or different, substituted or unsubstituted aryl radical;
• wherein X represents a m-valent radical containing from 2 to 30 carbon atoms, selected from the group consisting of alkylene, alkylene-oxy-alkylene, arylene and arylene-(CH.sub.2)y--(Q)n--(CH.sub.2)y-arylene, wherein each arylene radical is the same as Ar defined above;
• wherein each y individually has a value of 0 or 1;
• wherein each Q individually represents a divalent bridging group selected from the class consisting of --CR.sup.1 R.sup.2 --, --O--, --S--, --NR.sup.3 --, --SiR.sup.4 R.sup.5 -- and --CO--, wherein each R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 radical individually represents a radical selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 12 carbon atoms, phenyl, tolyl and anisyl, wherein each R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 radical individually represents --H or --CH.sub.3 ;
• wherein each n has a value of 0 or 1;
• and wherein m has a value of 2 to 6;
• and in the presence of a free poly-phosphite ligand having a formula as defined by Formula I above;
• and wherein the hydroformylation reaction conditions comprise, a reaction temperature in the range of from about 50.degree. C. to 120.degree. C., a total gas pressure of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and olefinically unsaturated organic compound of from about 1 to about 1500 psia., a hydrogen partial pressure of from about 15 to about 160 psia., a carbon monoxide partial pressure of from about 1 to about 120 psia., and wherein the reaction medium contains from about 4 to about 100 moles of said poly-phosphite ligand per mole of rhodium in said medium.