Hydroformylation of acyclic monoethylenically unsaturated compounds to corresponding terminal aldehydes

A process for converting a C2 to C20 acyclic monoethylenically unsaturated compound to its corresponding terminal aldehyde, comprising reacting the compound with CO and H2 in the presence of a Group VIII transition metal and at least one multidentate phosphite ligand of the formulae I,II or III:

• wherein:
• each R1 independently is C1 to C12 alkyl, C6 to C20 aryl, F, Cl, —CO2R4, —OR4, or —R3Z, provided that at least one R1 is —R3Z;
• each R2 independently is H, F, Cl, C1 to C12 alkyl, C6 to C20 aryl, —OR4, —CO2R4, —C(O)R4, —CHO, —CN, or —CF3;
• each R3 independently is C1 to C10 alkylene;
• each Z is —CO2R4, —CHO, —C(O)R4, —C(O)SR4, —C(O)NR5R6, —OC(O)R4, —OC(O)OR4, —N═CR5R6, —C(R5)═NR6, —C(R5)═N—O—R6, —P(O) (OR4), —S(O)2R4, —S(O)R4, —C(O)OC(O)R4, —NR4CO2R4, —NR4C(O)NR5R6, or —CN;
• each R4 independently is C1 to C12 alkyl or C6 to C20 aryl;
• each R5 independently is H, C1 to C12 alkyl, or C6 to C20 aryl;
• each R6 independently is H, C1 to C12 alkyl, or C6 to C20 aryl;
• Q is a divalent bridging group of the formula:
• each R7 independently is H, F, Cl, C1 to C12 alkyl, C6 to C20 aryl, —OR4, —CO2R4, —C(O)R4, —C(R5)═N—O—R6, —CHO, —CN, —CF3, —C(R5)═NR6, —NR5R6 or —R3Z;
• and
• each R8 is H, F, Cl, C1 to C12 alkyl, C6 to C20 aryl, —OR4, —CO2R4, —C(O)R4, —CN, or CF3.