Umicore Ag & Co Kg

Juergen Widmer

Ralf Karch

Angelino Doppiu

Eileen Woerner

Andreas Rivas-Nass

Timo Ebert

Andreas Rivas-nass

The invention relates to a process for preparing diketonato-rhodium(I)-carbonyl complexes, especially diketonato-rhodium(I)-triorganophosphine-carbonyl complexes, for example Rh(CO)(PPh)acac. The process according to the invention is a 'one-pot synthesis' and features a process procedure without intermediate isolation stages. After introduction of an Rh(III) halide precursor into a solvent and sparging with carbon monoxide (CO), a diketo compound of the R'&#x2014;C(&#x2550;O)&#x2014;CH&#x2014;C(&#x2550;O)&#x2014;R&#x2033; type and a base are added, forming the intermediate compound diketonato-Rh(CO). After addition of a triorganophosphine of the PRtype, the reaction mixture is heated and the diketonatocarbonyltriorganophosphine-rhodium(I) complex is removed. The process enables a rapid operation and a high yield. The complex Rh(CO)(PPh)acac prepared in accordance with the invention, because of its purity, is particularly suitable as a catalyst or precatalyst for homogeneous catalysis, for example for hydroformylation reactions.

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Rodenbach, Germany

Juergen Widmer