Process for recycling a cobalt hydroformylation catalyst

Claim 2

IN AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR RECYCLING A COBALT HYDROFORMYTATION 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 THE STEPS OF: A. FEEDING THE HYDROFORMYLATION PRODUCT INTO A SEPARATION ZONE WHEREIN TWO PHASES ARE FORMED, AN UPPER OR SOLVENT PHASE CONTAINING THE COBALT HYDROFORMYLATION CATALYST AND A LOWER PHASE CONTAINING THE COBALT HYDROFORMYLATION CATALYST AND THE HYDROFORMYLATION COMPOUND, B. THEN SEPARATING THE LOWER PHASE THEREFROM AND FEEDING IT INTO A COUNTERCURRENT EXTRACTOR WITH AN INERT ORGANIC SOLVENT TO REMOVE THE COBALT HYDROFORMYLATION CATALYST THEREFROM, C. THEN PASSING THE UPPER OR SOLVENT PHASE FROM THE SEPARATION ZONE AND THE COBALT HYDROFORMYLATION CATALYST FROM THE COUNTERCURRENT EXTRACTOR INTO AN EVAPORATION ZONE TO REMOVE SOLVENT THEREFROM TO FORM A CONCENTRATED SOLUTION OF THE COBALT HYDROFORMYLATION CATALYST, D. THEN RECYCLONG THE CONCENTRATED COBALT HYDROFORMYLATION CATALYST 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 1000 to about 5000 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-acetoxybutyraldehyde, 2-methyl-3-acetoxypropionaldehyde and 2-acetoxy-butyraldehyde and the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of: a. feeding the hydroformylation product into a separation zone wherein two phases are formed, an upper or solvent phase containing the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst and a lower phase containing the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst and the hydroformylation compound; b. then separating the lower phase therefrom and feeding it into a countercurrent extractor with an inert organic solvent to remove the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst therefrom; c. then passing the upper or solvent phase from the separation zone and the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst from the countercurrent extractor into an evaporation zone to remove solvent therefrom to form a concentrated solution of the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst; d. then recycling the concentrated cobalt hydroformylation catalyst 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-acetoxybutyraldehyde, 2-methyl-3-acetoxypropionaldehyde and 2-acetoxy-butyraldehyde and the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of: a. feeding the hydroformylation product into a separation zone wherein two phases are formed, an upper or solvent phase containing the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst and a lower phase containing the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst and the hydroformylation compound; b. then separating the lower phase therefrom and feeding it into a countercurrent extractor with an inert organic solvent to remove the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst therefrom; c. then passing the upper or solvent phase from the separation zone and the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst from the countercurrent extractor into an evaporation zone to remove solvent therefrom to form a concentrated solution of the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst; d. then recycling the concentrated cobalt hydroformylation catalyst into the initial reaction zone.

Claim 11

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 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; 2methyl-1,3-propanediol diacetate; 2-acetoxybutanol; 1,2-butanediol; 1,2-butanediol diacetate and the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of: a. feeding the hydroformylation product into a separation zone wherein two phases are formed, an upper or solvent phase containing the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst and a lower phase containing the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst and the hydroformylation compound; b. then separating the lower phase therefrom and feeding it into a countercurrent extractor with an inert organic solvent to remove the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst therefrom; c. then passing the upper or solvent phase from the separation zone and the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst from the countercurrent extractor into an evaporation zone to remove solvent therefrom to form a concentrated solution of the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst; d. then recycling the concentrated cobalt hydroformylation catalyst into the initial reaction zone.

Claim 12

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 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; 2methyl-1,3-propanediol diacetate; 2-acetoxybutanol; 1,2-butanediol; 1,2-butanediol diacetate and the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of: a. feeding the hydroformylation product into a separation zone wherein two phases are formed, an upper or solvent phase containing the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst and a lower phase containing the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst and the hydroformylation compound; b. then separating the lower phase therefrom and feeding it into a countercurrent extractor with an inert organic solvent to remove the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst therefrom; c. then passing the upper or solvent phase from the separation zone and the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst from the countercurrent extractor into an evaporation zone to remove solvent therefrom to form a concentrated solution of the cobalt hydroformylation catalyst; d. then recycling the concentrated cobalt hydroformylation catalyst into the initial reaction zone.