Oq Chemicals Corporation

Alexander Hensel

Wolfgang Greb

Gregor Meier

Jörg Botterhuis

Ruben Fernandez Diaz

The present invention relates to a continuous two-phase hydroformylation process for the production of aldehydes from olefins by means of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and a transition metal catalyst in a reaction zone, the transition metal being in the form of a water-soluble catalyst complex, wherein the process comprising the following steps once or several times: a) hydroformylating by reacting the olefins, carbon monoxide and hydrogen over a water-soluble transition metal catalyst comprising water-soluble organophosphorus ligands in the reaction zone; b) reducing the concentration of the olefins in the reaction zone by reducing the olefin feed to the reaction zone and withdrawing at least a portion of the catalyst solution from the reaction system, wherein the catalyst solution withdrawal and olefin concentration reduction substeps may occur in this or reverse order, simultaneously or sequentially;c) feeding a solvent, a transition metal source and water-soluble organophosphorus ligands to the reaction system, wherein the feeding of the components may occur simultaneously or in any order sequentially;d) increasing the concentration of the olefins in the reaction zone by increasing the olefin feed to the reaction zone and hydroformylating by reacting the olefins with carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

Growing community of inventors

Essen, Germany

Alexander Hensel