Metal-ligand complex catalyzed processes

A process for producing one or more cyclic products comprising:

• (1) reacting one or more cyclic reactants in the presence of a metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, optionally free organophosphorus ligand and a non-polar solvent to form a multiphase reaction product fluid;
• and (2) separating said multiphase reaction product fluid to obtain a non-polar phase comprising said one or more cyclic reactants, metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, optionally free organophosphorus ligand and non-polar solvent and a polar phase comprising said one or more cyclic products;
• wherein (i) the ratio of the concentration of organophosphorus ligand in the nonpolar phase after phase separation to the concentration of organophosphorus ligand in the polar phase after phase separation is a value greater than about 5, and (ii) the ratio of the concentration of cyclic products in the polar phase after phase separation to the concentration of cyclic products in the nonpolar phase after phase separation is a value greater than about 0.5.

A process for producing one or more cyclic aldehydes comprising:

• (1) reacting a cyclic olefinic unsaturated compound with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, optionally free organophosphorus ligand and a non-polar solvent to form a multiphase reaction product fluid;
• and (2) separating said multiphase reaction product fluid to obtain a non-polar phase comprising said cyclic olefinic unsaturated compound, metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, optionally free organophosphorus ligand and non-polar solvent and a polar phase comprising said cyclic aldehydes;
• wherein (i) the ratio of the concentration of organophosphorus ligand in the nonpolar phase after phase separation to the concentration of organophosphorus ligand in the polar phase after phase separation is a value greater than about 5, and (ii) the ratio of the concentration of cyclic products in the polar phase after phase separation to the concentration of cyclic products in the nonpolar phase after phase separation is a value greater than about 0.5.

A composition selected from a batchwise or continuously generated reaction mixture comprising trans-1,3-cyclohexanedicarboxaldehyde, cis-1,3-cyclohexanedicarboxaldehyde, trans-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxaldehyde and cis-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxaldehyde, and a batchwise or continuously generated reaction mixture comprising trans-3-cyano-1-cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde, cis-3-cyano-1-cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde, trans-4-cyano-1-cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde and cis-4-cyano-1-cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde.

A reaction mixture comprising cyclic aldehydes in which said reaction mixture is prepared by a process which comprises:

• (1) reacting a cyclic olefinic unsaturated compound with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, optionally free organophosphorus ligand and a non-polar solvent to form a multiphase reaction product fluid;
• and (2) separating said multiphase reaction product fluid to obtain a non-polar phase comprising said cyclic olefinic unsaturated compound, metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, optionally free organophosphorus ligand and non-polar solvent and a polar phase comprising said cyclic aldehydes;
• wherein (i) the ratio of the concentration of organophosphorus ligand in the nonpolar phase after phase separation to the concentration of organophosphorus ligand in the polar phase after phase separation is a value greater than about 5, and (ii) the ratio of the concentration of cyclic products in the polar phase after phase separation to the concentration of cyclic products in the nonpolar phase after phase separation is a value greater than about 0.5.