Process for the hydroformylation of higher olefins using cobalt compounds as catalyst

Abstract

Olefins having from 5 to 24, in particular from 5 to 12, carbon atoms are hydroformylated by reacting an olefin or a mixture of olefins in the presence of an unmodified cobalt catalyst in a single-stage process in a reactor at a temperature of from 100° C. to 220° C. and a pressure of from 100 bar to 400 bar, to obtain an aldehyde, an alcohol or a mixture thereof. An aqueous bottom phase and an organic phase are present in the reactor, the aqueous bottom phase is mixed with the organic phase, and a concentration of the cobalt catalyst, calculated as metallic cobalt, in the aqueous bottom phase is in the range from 0.4 to 1.7% by mass based on the total weight of the aqueous bottom phase. A level of the aqueous bottom phase in the reactor is kept constant during steady-state operation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.