Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A process for the production of an aldehyde by hydroformylation of an olefin which comprises: providing a hydroformylation zone containing a charge of a liquid reaction medium having dissolved therein a complex rhodium hydroformylation catalyst comprising rhodium in complex combination with carbon monoxide and with an organic phosphite ligand of the general formula: in which each R represents an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl radical; supplying said olefin to the hydroformylation zone; maintaining temperature and pressure conditions in the hydroformylation zone conducive to hydroformylation of the olefin; supplying make-up hydrogen and carbon monoxide to the hydroformylation zone; recovering from the liquid hydroformylation medium a hydroformylation product comprising at least one aldehyde; and supplying make-up phosphite ligand to the hydroformylation zone at a rate sufficient to maintain a predetermined level of free phosphite ligand in the hydroformylation medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
A process for the production of an aldehyde by hydroformylation of an olefin which comprises: providing a hydroformylation zone containing a charge of a liquid reaction medium having dissolved therein a complex rhodium hydroformylation catalyst comprising rhodium in complex combination with carbon monoxide and with an organic phosphite ligand of the general formula: in which each R represents an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl radical; supplying said olefin to the hydroformylation zone; maintaining temperature and pressure conditions in the hydroformylation zone conducive to hydroformylation of the olefin; supplying make-up hydrogen and carbon monoxide to the hydroformylation zone; recovering from the liquid hydroformylation medium a hydroformylation product comprising at least one aldehyde; and supplying make-up phosphite ligand to the hydroformylation zone at a rate sufficient to maintain a predetermined level of free phosphite ligand in the hydroformylation medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 1, in which the organic phosphite is an optionally substituted aryl phosphite.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 2, in which the organic phosphite is selected from triphenyl phosphite, tri-(o-tolyl) phosphite, tri-(2-ethylphenyl) phosphite, tri-(2,6-dimethylphenyl) phosphite, di-iso-decyl phenyl phosphite, and tri-(nonylphenyl) phosphite.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the olefin is butene-2 and the hydroformylation product comprises 2-methylbutyraldehyde.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
74 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the hydroformylation zone is maintained at a temperature of 40°C up to 160°C, at a total pressure of 4 bar up to 35 bar, at a partial pressure of hydrogen and of carbon monoxide each of at least about 0.05 bar, and at a ratio of partial pressures of hydrogen and of carbon monoxide in the range of 10:1 to 1:10.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the phosphite Iigand:Rh molar ratio is at least about 3:1.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which recovery of the hydroformylation product includes withdrawal of reaction medium from the hydroformylation zone and distillation thereof in one or more stages under normal, reduced or elevated pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to claim 7, in which the distillation step yields also a stream comprising unreacted olefin which is recycled to the hydroformylation zone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the reaction medium comprises aldehyde product and aldehyde condensation products as solvent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the olefin is supplied to the hydroformylation zone at a rate corresponding to at least about 0.5 gram moles per liter of reaction medium per hour.