Process for recycling a cobalt hydroformylation catalyst

Claim 2

IN AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR RECYCLING A COBALT HYDROFORMYLATION CATALYST FROM A HYDROFORMYLATION REACTION WHEREIN AN OLEFINIC COMPOUND IS REACTED WITH CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN IN THE PRESENCE OF A COBALT HYDROFORMYLATION CATALYST DISSOLVED IN AN INERT ORGANIC SOLVENT IN A REACTION ZONE UNDER HYDROFORMYLATION CONDITIONS TO PRODUCE A HYDROFORMYLATION PRODUCT COMPRISING A HYDROFORMYLATION COMPOUND AND THE COBALT HYDROFORMYLATION CATALYST, WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISES FEEDING THE HYDROFORMYLATION PRODUCT INTO A MIXING ZONE, ADDING WATER TO THE HYDROFORMYLATION PRODUCT IN HEMIXING ZONE, FEEDING THE MIXTURE OF WATER AN HYDROFORMYLATION PRODUCT FROM THE MIXING ZONE INTO ASETTLING ZONE WHEREIN TWO PHASES ARE FORMED, A SOLVENT PHASE CONTAINING THE COBALT HYDROFORMYLATION CATALYST AND A WATER PHASE CONTAINING THE HYDROFORMYLATION COMPOUND, SEPARATING THE SOLVENT PHASE THEREFROM AND RECYCLING SAID SOLVENT PHASE INTO THE INITIAL REACTION ZONE.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the hydroformylation product comprises in admixture an aldehyde or its isomeric products, an alcohol or its isomeric products or mixtures thereof.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein the organic solvent is an aliphatic hydrocarbon.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein the olefinic compound is allyl acetate.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst is dicobalt octacarbonyl.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein the hydroformylation is carried out at a temperature of from about 100* to about 200*C.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1 wherein the hydroformylation is carried out at pressures from about 1,000 to about 5,000 psi.

Claim 9

In an improved process for recycling a cobalt hydroformylation catalyst from a hydroformylation reaction wherein allyl acetate is reacted with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a cobalt hydroformylation catalyst dissolved in an inert organic solvent in a reaction zone under hydroformylation conditions to produce a hydroformylation product comprising, in admixture: hydroformylation compounds consisting of 4-acetoxybutyraldehydes, 2-methyl-3-acetoxypropionaldehyde and 2-acetoxybutyraldehyde and the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst, wherein the improvement comprises feeding the hydroformylation product into a mixing zone; adding water to the hydroformylation product in the mixing zone; feeding the mixture of water and hydroformylation product from the mixing zone into a settling zone wherein two phases are formed, a solvent phase containing the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst and a water phase containing the hydroformylation compound; separating the solvent phase therefrom and recycling said solvent phase into the initial reaction zone.

Claim 10

In an improved process for recycling a cobalt hydroformylation catalyst from a hydroformylation reaction wherein allyl acetate is reacted with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a cobalt hydroformylation catalyst dissolved in an inert organic solvent in a reaction zone under hydroformylation conditions to produce a hydroformylation product comprising, in admixture: hydroformylation compounds consisting of 4-acetoxybutyraldehydes, 2-methyl-3-acetoxypropionaldehyde and 2-acetoxybutyraldehyde and the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst, wherein the improvement comprises feeding the hydroformylation product into a mixing zone; adding water to the hydroformylation product in the mixing zone; feeding the mixture of water and hydroformylation product from the mixing zone into a settling zone wherein two phases are formed, a solvent phase containing the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst and a water phase containing the hydroformylation compound; separating the solvent phase therefrom and recycling said solvent phase into the initial reaction zone.

Claim 11

In an improved process for recycling a cobalt hydroformylation catalyst from a hydrofOrmylation reaction wherein allyl acetate is reacted with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a cobalt hydroformylation catalyst dissolved in an inert organic solvent in a reaction zone under hydroformylation conditions to produce a hydroformylation product comprising in admixture: a hydroformylation compound consisting of 4-acetoxybutanol; 1,4-butanediol; 1,4-butanediol diacetate; 2-methyl-3-acetoxypropanol; 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol; 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol diacetate; 2-acetoxybutanol; 1,2-butanediol; 1,2-butanediol diacetate and the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst, wherein the improvement comprises feeding the hydroformylation product into a mixing zone; adding water to the hydroformylation product in the mixing zone, feeding the mixture of water and hydroformylation product from the mixing zone into a settling zone wherein two phases are formed, a solvent phase containing the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst and a water phase containing the hydroformylation compounds; separating the solvent phase therefrom and recycling said solvent phase into the initial reaction zone.

Claim 12

In an improved process for recycling a cobalt hydroformylation catalyst from a hydrofOrmylation reaction wherein allyl acetate is reacted with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a cobalt hydroformylation catalyst dissolved in an inert organic solvent in a reaction zone under hydroformylation conditions to produce a hydroformylation product comprising in admixture: a hydroformylation compound consisting of 4-acetoxybutanol; 1,4-butanediol; 1,4-butanediol diacetate; 2-methyl-3-acetoxypropanol; 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol; 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol diacetate; 2-acetoxybutanol; 1,2-butanediol; 1,2-butanediol diacetate and the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst, wherein the improvement comprises feeding the hydroformylation product into a mixing zone; adding water to the hydroformylation product in the mixing zone, feeding the mixture of water and hydroformylation product from the mixing zone into a settling zone wherein two phases are formed, a solvent phase containing the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst and a water phase containing the hydroformylation compounds; separating the solvent phase therefrom and recycling said solvent phase into the initial reaction zone.