Hydroformylation of Olefins in Aqueous-Organic Biphasic Catalytic Systems

Hydroformylation of Olefins in Aqueous-Organic Biphasic Catalytic Systems 

In the mid-1960s, Wilkinson revealed that aryl phosphines are suitable for Rh-catalyzed hydroformylation. Subsequently, research mainly focused on metal rhodium [5]. As a result, the replacement of rhodium-phosphine complex catalytic process by Co-based process pushed the science and technology of olefin hydroformylation rapidly forward. The homogeneous catalytic process of UCC (Union Carbide Corporation, now Dow Chemical) is often referred to as the LPO (low-pressure 0X0) process. The reaction conditions then become easy. The conversion rate of olefin and the selectivity of aldehyde increase greatly. 

In the 1980s, the RCH/RP (Ruhrchemie/Rhone-Poulenc) process came on stream utilizing a two-phase system containing a water-soluble rhodium catalyst in aqueous phase and the product aldehyde in organic phase. Based on this character of easy separation of two phases, RCH/RP process not only maintains 

Bridging Heterogeneous and Homogeneous Catalysis Concepts, Strategies, and Applications, First Edition. 

TPPTS trisodium salt of tris(m-sulfonatophenyl)phosphine 

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