Process for the preparation of saturated carboxylic acids and their esters

A process for the preparation of saturated carboxylic acids and esters of formula III

• wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are independently hydrogen, or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, or cycloaliphatic group;
• when R is hydrogen, R5 is COOR′ and when R is COOR′, R is hydrogen, R′ is hydrogen or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, or cycloaliphatic group which comprises the steps of
• a) reacting an olefin of formula II
• wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined above, with a transition metal complex of the formula I
• wherein M is a group VIII metal;
• R1, R2 and R3 are substitutents on the phosphine ligand and are selected from hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, or arylalkyl cycloaliphatic group;
• X is selected from aryl sulphonato, alkyl sulphonato, aryl carbonate, alkyl carbonate, formato or halides selected from Cl−, Br− or I−;
• NO is a semilabile anionic chelating ligand containing a N donor and an O− group, wherein 1<n<10, with a protonic acid or hydrogen gas and a proton source, in an organic solvent, in a carbon monoxide atmosphere in a homogeneous medium, with or without excess phosphorus ligand,
• b) heating the mixture to a temperature between 30° C. to 120° C., for a period ranging between 30 to 180 minutes, at a pressure ranging between 1 to 40 atm,
• c) cooling the reaction mixture to ambient temperature,
• d) flushing with inert gas,
• e) removing the solvent,
• f) separating the catalyst;
• and
• g) isolating the compound of formula III.