Hydroformylation, aldehydes from, with industrial alcohol syntheses

It was discovered by Roelen in 1938 and is the oldest and largest volume catalytic reaction of alkenes, with the conversion of propylene to butyraldehyde being the mosi important. About 5 million tons of aldehydes and aldehyde derivatives (mostly alcohols) are produced annually making the process the most important industrial synthesis using a metal carbonyl complex as a catalyst. The name hydroformylation arises from the fact that in a formal sense a hydrogen atom and. formyl group are added across a double bond. The net result of the process is extension of (he carbon chain by one and introduction of oxygen into the molecule. 

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