Evolution of hydroformylation chemistry

Conference · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 UTC 1995

OSTI ID:126582

Slaugh, L H ^[1]

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1. Shell Development Co., Houston, TX (United States)

A new generation of hydroformylation catalysts was discovered in 1960 at Shell Development Company which dramatically altered the chemistry of producing industrially important alcohols from synthesis gas (CO/H{sub 2}) and olefins. These new homogeneous catalysts were obtained via the use of auxiliary tertiary phosphine ligands with the conventional OXO cobalt carbonyl catalyst. This is believed to have been the first historical example illustrating the utility of phosphine ligands to modify the catalytic properties of homogenous catalysts. In contradistinction to the conventional OXO reaction, highly linear alcohols were obtained in a single-step operation with ease of catalyst recycle. Based on this discovery, an industrial process was developed to produce large volume, environmentally friendly detergent alcohols. The chemistry of this process and a comparison with other hydroformylation catalyst systems will be made. Recent results obtained with phosphine-modified cobalt catalysts for the hydroformylation of substrates other than olefins will be presented.

• OSTI ID: 126582
• Report Number(s): CONF-950402--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
40 CHEMISTRY
ALKENES
CARBONYLATION
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHEMICAL PREPARATION
COBALT COMPLEXES
SYNTHESIS GAS
SYNTHETIC FUELS