Process for the telomerization of conjugated dienes and suitable catalyst therefor

Process for preparing mono-alkadienyl alkyl ethers (IV) by means of the catalyzed reaction of a conjugated diene (I) with an aliphatic alcohol (II):

• ##STR5## and for preparing di-alkadienyl alkyl ethers (V) by means of the catalyzed reaction of said conjugated diene (I) with an aliphatic diol (III):
• ##STR6## wherein:
• R.sup.i represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical,
• R.sup.ii represents a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl radical, or a phenyl radical,
• R.sup.iii represents a C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl radical, and
• R.sup.iv represents a C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 alkylene radical;
• characterized in that the reaction between the conjugated diene (I) and the alcohol (II) or diol (III) is carried out in an aqueous/organic two-phase liquid system, wherein the organic phase comprises a liquid hydrocarbon, in the presence of a catalytic system formed by:
• (a) a palladium salt or complex;
• (b) an alkyl-, alkylcycloalkyl-, or alkylaryl-phosphine ligand, bearing an acidic or neutral hydrophylic moiety, having the formula (VI):
• ##STR7## wherein:
• A represents a hydrophylic moiety of sulfate (--SO.sub.3 M), phosphate (--PO.sub.3 M.sub.2), hydroxy (--OH) or alkoxy (--OR.sub.4) character (in which M represents H, Li, Na, K and NH.sub.4 and R.sub.4 represents a C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl moiety),
• R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl moiety, a C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl moiety, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkoxy moiety, an aryl radical or an aryloxy moiety, with said aryl moieties being optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms or C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl moieties;
• R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 represent, each independently, a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical,
• x is a numeral comprised within the range of from 1 to 3,
• y is a numeral comprised within the range of from 1 to 6;
• and
• (c) an inorganic or organic base.