Joseph Charles Merola, Age 651406 Arredondo Dr, The Villages, FL 32162

4528404, Jul 9, 1985

Oct 23, 1984

6/664037

Alexis A. Oswald - Mountainside NJ
Joseph S. Merola - Scotch Plains NJ
John C. Reisch - Baton Rough LA
Rodney V. Kastrup - High Bridge NJ

Exxon Research and Engineering Co. - Florham Park NJ

C07C 4550

568454

Certain triarylphosphine rhodium carbonyl hydride complexes (Ar. sub. 3 P). sub. 3 Rh(CO)H (I) and (Ar. sub. 3 P). sub. 2 Rh(CO). sub. 2 H (II) are selective and stable catalysts of high temperature olefin hydroformylation. The critical factors are the maintenance of a sufficient CO partial pressure, above 25 psia, and the provision of a high excess of triarylphosphine ligand concentration, at a minimum of 1 mole per kg. To provide a high ratio of n- to i-aldehyde products of 1-olefin hydroformylation, the concentration of the tris-phosphine complex (I) is maximized. In a continuous product flashoff operation of the present process, the major high boiling solvent components are the excess phosphine ligands and monoalcohol and monoester by-products. A combined isomerization-hydroformylation process is also disclosed for the selective conversion of internal linear olefins to terminal n-aldehydes. In this process, the concentration of the bis-phosphine complex (II) is minimized.