Cobalt carbonyl removal and recycle in oxo synthesis

Claim 1

IN A CONTINUOUS CARBONYLATION REACTION WHEREIN OLEFINIC CARBON COMPOUNDS ARE CONTACTED IN A CARBONYLATION ZONE WITH CO AND H2 IN THE PRESENCE OF A COBALT CARBONYLATION CATALYST AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES AND PRESSURES TO PRODUCE ALDEHYDES, AND WHEREIN A SOLUTION COMPRISING SAID ALDEHYDES AND DISSOLVED COBALT CATALYST TRANSFERRED TO A CATAYST REMOVAL ZONE AND SAID COBALT IS REMOVED FROM SAID ALDEHYDE PRODUCT, AN IMPROVED METHOD OF REMOVING AND RECOVERING SAID COBALT FROM SAID ALDEHYDE PRODUCT WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING SAID COBALT CONTAMINATED ALDEHYDE PRODUCT WITH LIQUID WATER IN SAID CATLYST REMOVAL ZONE, MAINTAINING A TEMPERATURE OF LESS THAN ABOUT 350* F. AND A PRESSURE OF FROM 2000-3500 P. S. I. G., IN SAID ZONE, SCRUBBING SAID ALDEHYDE PRODUCT WITH SAID LIQUID WATER IN THE PRESENCE OF H2 AND CO, RECOVERING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A COBALT CARBONYL FROM SAID ZONE, AND WITHDRAWING AN ALDEHYDE PRODUCT SUBSTANTIALLY DEPLETED OF COBALT FROM SAID CATALYST REMOVAL ZONE.