Process for the preparation of octadienols

Abstract

A process for the preparation of octadienols, comprising the hydrodimerization reaction of 1,3-butadiene with water in the presence of a transition metal in the metal form or in the form of a compound of the said metal, of a water-soluble tertiary or quaternary phosphorus-containing compound and of at least one nitrogen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of a tertiary amine and a quaternary ammonium salt of general formula (I) or (II): ##STR1## in which R.sub.p, R.sub.q and R.sub.s are identical or different and each is a methyl or ethyl group; R.sub.r is an alkyl group containing from 6 to 22 carbon atoms; X is a counter-anion selected from the group consisting of HCO.sub.3.sup.-, CO.sub.3.sup.2-, HSO.sub.3.sup.-, SO.sub.3.sup.2-, SiO.sub.3.sup.2-, PO.sub.4.sup.3-, HPO.sub.3.sup.2-, AsO.sub.4.sup.3-, SO.sub.4.sup.2-, HSO.sub.4.sup.-, RSO.sub.3.sup.-, RCO.sub.2.sup.-, and OH.sup.-, R being an alkyl group; the said reaction being carried out in the presence of carbon dioxide.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.