Basic Work and Investigations by Rhone-Poulenc

Crude TPPTS fractions contained TPPTS and TPPOTS in ratios of roughly 55 45. Today s much improved commercial procedures [21, 59] yield TPPTS/ TPPOTS ratios of 94 6 under appropriate conditions, even in the crude material. Under suitable conditions even the less preferable mono- and the disulfonated species (TPPMS and TPPDS) can be formed in addition to TPPTS (Structures 1-3). 

From 1974 onwards the scope of different reactions using biphasic catalyst systems, preferably with precious metals, was tested in laboratory-scale experiments. Among these were butadiene hydrodimerization, hydrogenation of acrylonitrile or cyclohexene, hydroformylation of propene, and some other conversions to fine 

Continuing the research on the reactivity of dienes with biphasic catalytic systems, Morel and Mignani discovered that the Rh/TPPTS functionalization of dienes in the 4-position has beneficial efforts [22]. With other asymmetrical dienes such as myrcene and the addition of, for example, ethyl acetoacetate, interesting regioselectivities of 99% for the desired isoprenic compounds were achieved [23, 24], A couple of subsequent reaction steps, based on TPPTS from Ruhrchemie, thus convert geranylacetone to vitamin E [25]. 

Following earlier contacts Ruhrchemie AG (RCH), now a part of Celanese AG, and Rhone-Poulenc joined forces in 1982 to develop a continuous biphase hydrofor-mylation process for the production of n-butyraldehyde from propene. 

Because of Ruhrchemie s commitment and status as an important oxo producer, development was thus primarily driven by product and commercial considerations. It was not until the 1990s that further development became science-driven, including especially all the scientific research work currently being conducted at universities as a result of the successful implementation of the RCH/RP process. 

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