Celanese Gmbh

William J Wells, Iii

Jerry D Unruh

Adin L Stautzenberger

An organo metallic complex catalyst, useful in the hydroformylation of an olefin, e.g., an alkene, to yield an aldehyde product in which the normal aldehyde isomer predominates over branch-chain isomers, which has the structure: ##STR1## wherein capital M is a Group VIII metal (preferably rhodium); Q is phosphorus, arsenic, or antimony (preferably phosphorus); and R is phenyl or a lower alkyl group. In the process employing the new catalytic complex is not necessary to employ an excess of any ligand, and moderate reaction conditions are adequate. The catalyst can be prepared ex situ or in situ from a suitable source of rhodium or the Group VIII metal and a suitable derivative of ferrocene.

Hydroformylation catalysts

An organo metallic complex catalyst, useful in the hydroformylation of an olefin, e.g., an alkene, to yield an aldehyde product in which the normal aldehyde isomer predominates over branch-chain isomers, which has the structure: ##STR1## wherein capital M is a Group VIII metal (preferably rhodium); Q is phosphorus, arsenic, or antimony (preferably phosphorus); and R is phenyl or a lower alkyl group. In the process employing the new catalytic complex it is not necessary to employ an excess of any ligand, and moderate reaction conditions are adequate. The catalyst can be prepared ex situ or in situ from a suitable source of rhodium or the Group VIII metal and a suitable derivative of ferrocene.

In a process for the manufacture of trioxane by the distillation of aqueous formaldehyde solutions which are intimately mixed with an immiscible, non-volatile, oily liquid phase, the improvement comprising using a monoalkyl ether of a polyoxyalkylene glycol as the oily phase.

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Corpus Christi, TX, United States of America

William J Wells, Iii