Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.

Edwin Kooke

Raphael Frans Caers

Hubertus Joseph Beckers

Nicolaas Anthony De Munck

Ronald Dean Garton

Arie Van Vliet

Eddy T A Van Driessche

Peter J Ayre

Adrian F Da Costa

Bertrand Raymond Da Cruz

Michel J P Lepagnol

Nicolaas A De Munck

Olefin compositions comprising Cto Cbranched chain olefins are stabilised by the addition of 5 to less than 50 ppm by weight of antioxidant. These lower than normal amounts of antioxidant enable improved yields in a hydroformylation reaction using the olefin composition as feedstock and in esterification reactions employing the alcohol produced in the hydroformylation reaction. Consistent lower levels of antioxidant can be achieved by use of a liquid antioxidant and a pump driven dosing system.

Branched olefin compositions

In a hydroformylation reaction, the circulation and recovery of cobalt carbonyl in a cobalt catalyst cycle using carbonylate as an intermediate and acidification thereof, is improved by supplying an aqueous sulfuric acid solution containing less than 16% wt of sulfuric acid to the carbonylate to control sulfuric acid concentration in the carbonylate/acid mixture, before accounting for any acid consuming reaction, to a value of from 2% to 10% by weight. Single step and multistage liquid/liquid extraction techniques as well as vapor/liquid extraction techniques followed by the absorption of cobalt from the vapor in an organic liquid both benefit from this improvement.

Cobalt recovery from cobalt catalysed hydroformylation reactions

Growing community of inventors

Ridderkerk, Netherlands

Edwin Kooke