Exxon Chemical Patents, Inc.

Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Joel R Livingston, Jr

Edmund John Mozeleski

Guido Sartori

Elena N Suciu

Michael Siskin

Harry William Deckman

Glen Barry Brons

Ramzi Yanni Saleh

Michael Gerard Matturro

Edward Kantner

Francis J Healy

John G Stevens

The present invention relates to enhanced process for converting certain ethers, such as sec-butyl ether and isopropyl ether to their corresponding reaction products in the presence of water. This may be accomplished by adding a rate enhancing surfactant, such as an anionic or cationic surfactant to a mixture of the ether and water, preferably least about 10.sup.-5 molar surfactant. Under those conditions the reaction shows an increase in reaction rate over the rate of the process wherein surfactant is not used.

Process for conversion of ethers to alcohols and olefins

A catalyst for use in hydroformylation of olefins which comprises a Group VIII noble metal complexed with a phosphine ligand having at least one alkyl or aryl group bonded thereto, such as tris-4-propylphenyl phosphines and tris-4-octylphenyl phosphines. These and other triphenylphosphine catalysts can be separated from a crude reaction product of a noble metal-catalyzed hydroformylation reaction by contacting the crude reaction product with a dense polymeric, nonpolar membrane, preferably nonpolar polyolefin membranes.

Method for separating catalyst from a hydroformylation reaction product

A method for producing a potassium paradiphenyl phosphino sulfonate ligand which comprises reacting potassium diphenyl phosphide with a lithium salt of para-chloro benzenesulfonic acid in the presence of tetrahydrofuran at elevated temperatures.

Use as catalyst in the hydroformylation of olefinic feedstock to higher

A method for separating a water soluble noble metal catalyst from a crude reaction product of a noble metal-catalyzed process for preparing octadienol from butadiene in aqueous solution, in an aqueous emulsion or as an aqueous suspension, the crude reaction product including an aqueous phase containing a water soluble Group VIII noble metal-ligand complex catalyst, and an organic phase containing unreacted butadiene feed and an organic octadienol reaction product, which comprises: (a) contacting the crude reaction product with a hydrophobic membrane capable of allowing a substantial portion of the unreacted butadiene feed and organic octadienol reaction product to pass therethrough while retaining a substantial portion of the water soluble Group VIII noble metal-ligand complex catalyst; (b) removing unreacted butadiene feed and the organic octadienol reaction product which passes through the hydrophobic membrane as permeate; and (c) retaining the water soluble Group VIII noble metal-ligand complex catalyst as retentate.

Method for producing n-octadienol from butadiene

A method for producing a potassium para-diphenyl phosphino sulfonate ligand which comprises reacting potassium diphenyl phosphide with a lithium salt of para-chloro benzenesulfonic acid in the presence of tetrahydrofuran at elevated temperatures.

Potassium para-diphenyl phosphino benzene sulfonate ligand

A method for separating a noble metal catalyst from a crude reaction product of a noble metal-catalyzed hydroformylation reaction which comprises: (a) contacting the crude reaction product under perstraction conditions with a membrane capable of allowing a substantial portion of unreacted olefin feed and hydroformylation reaction product to pass therethrough as permeate while retaining a substantial portion of the catalyst as retentate; (b) removing the permeate by sweeping it away from the membrane by means of a sweep stream which is the same as the olefin feed used in the hydroformylation reaction; and (c) retaining the catalyst as retentate.

Perstraction sweep stream for a membrane reactor

A method for separating a water soluble Group VIII noble metal catalyst from the crude reaction product of a noble metal-catalyzed hydroformylation reaction run in aqueous solution, in an aqueous emulsion or as an aqueous suspension, the crude reaction product including an aqueous phase containing a water soluble Group VIII noble metal-ligand complex catalyst, and an organic phase containing unreacted olefin feed and an organic hydroformylation reaction product, which comprises: (a) contacting the crude reaction product with a hydrophobic membrane capable of allowing a substantial portion of the unreacted olefin feed and the organic hydroformylation reaction product to pass therethrough while retaining a substantial portion of the water soluble Group VIII noble metal-ligand complex catalyst; (b) removing unreacted olefin feed and organic hydroformylation reaction product which passes through the hydrophobic membrane as permeate; and (c) retaining the water soluble Group VIII noble metal-ligand complex catalyst as retentate.

Growing community of inventors

Basking Ridge, NJ, United States of America

Joel R Livingston, Jr