Hydrocarbonylation

Claim 2

In a process for hydroformylating hydrocarbon alpha olefins having from 3 to about 25 carbon atoms to form aldehydes, wherein the process is carried out in a reaction zone: (1) in the presence of a liquid reaction medium, (2) with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, (3) at a temperature of about 50° to about 200° C., (4) at a pressure of about 1 to about 10,000 atmospheres, and (5) with a catalyst comprising a complex between a rhodium carbonyl hydride or a rhodium carbonyl halide and an organic ligand of the formula: ##STR3## wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are aryl of 6 to about 9 carbon atoms, the improvement comprising: sparging said carbon monoxide and hydrogen into said liquid reaction medium and maintaining in said reaction zone a relative concentration of hydrogen to carbon monoxide of at least 12/1, thereby effecting an increase in the yield of straight chain, relative to branched chain, aldehyde product.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the liquid reaction medium is stirred and the relative concentration of hydrogen to carbon monoxide is maintained at a value greater than about 35:1.

Claim 4

In a continuous process for hydroformylating hydrocarbon alpha olefins having from 3 to about 25 carbon atoms to form aldehydes, wherein the process is carried out in a reaction zone: (1) in the presence of a liquid reaction medium, (2) with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, (3) at a temperature of about 50° to about 200° C., (4) at a pressure of about 1 to about 10,000 atmospheres, and (5) with a catalyst comprising a complex between a rhodium carbonyl hydride or a rhodium carbonyl halide and an organic ligand of the formula: ##STR4## wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are aryl of 6 to about 9 carbon atoms; wherein liquid reaction medium is continuously withdrawn from the reaction zone; wherein dissolved reactant gases are removed from the withdrawn liquid reaction medium; and wherein the reactant gases, removed from the withdrawn liquid reaction medium, are recycled to the reaction zone; the improvement comprising: sparging said carbon monoxide and hydrogen into said liquid reaction medium and maintaining in said reaction zone a relative concentration of hydrogen to carbon monoxide of at least 12/1, thereby effecting an increase in the yield of straight chain, relative to branched chain, aldehyde product.

Claim 5

In a continuous process for hydroformylating hydrocarbon alpha olefins having from 3 to about 25 carbon atoms to form aldehydes, wherein the process is carried out in a reaction zone: (1) in the presence of a liquid reaction medium, (2) with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, (3) at a temperature of about 50° to about 200° C., (4) at a pressure of about 1 to about 10,000 atmospheres, and (5) with a catalyst comprising a complex between a rhodium carbonyl hydride or a rhodium carbonyl halide and an organic ligand of the formula: ##STR4## wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are aryl of 6 to about 9 carbon atoms; wherein liquid reaction medium is continuously withdrawn from the reaction zone; wherein dissolved reactant gases are removed from the withdrawn liquid reaction medium; and wherein the reactant gases, removed from the withdrawn liquid reaction medium, are recycled to the reaction zone; the improvement comprising: sparging said carbon monoxide and hydrogen into said liquid reaction medium and maintaining in said reaction zone a relative concentration of hydrogen to carbon monoxide of at least 12/1, thereby effecting an increase in the yield of straight chain, relative to branched chain, aldehyde product.

Claim 6

The process of claim 3 wherein the liquid reaction medium is stirred and the relative concentration of hydrogen to carbon monoxide is maintained at a value greater than about 35:1.

Claim 7

In a continuous process for hydroformylating hydrocarbon alpha olefins having from 3 to about 25 carbon atoms to form aldehydes, wherein the process is carried out in a reaction zone: (1) in the presence of a liquid reaction medium, (2) with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, (3) at a temperature of about 50° to about 200° C., (4) at a pressure of about 1 to about 10,000 atmospheres, and (5) with a catalyst comprising a complex between a rhodium carbonyl hydride or a rhodium carbonyl halide and an organic ligand of the formula: ##STR5## wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are aryl of 6 to about 9 carbon atoms; wherein a gaseous effluent is continuously withdrawn from the reaction zone; wherein the gaseous effluent is cooled to condense the aldehydes formed; and wherein the uncondensed vapors are recycled to the reaction zone; the improvement comprising: sparging said carbon monoxide and hydrogen into said liquid reaction medium and maintaining in said reaction zone a relative concentration of hydrogen to carbon monoxide of at least 12/1, thereby effecting an increase in the yield of straight chain, relative to branched chain, aldehyde product.

Claim 8

In a continuous process for hydroformylating hydrocarbon alpha olefins having from 3 to about 25 carbon atoms to form aldehydes, wherein the process is carried out in a reaction zone: (1) in the presence of a liquid reaction medium, (2) with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, (3) at a temperature of about 50° to about 200° C., (4) at a pressure of about 1 to about 10,000 atmospheres, and (5) with a catalyst comprising a complex between a rhodium carbonyl hydride or a rhodium carbonyl halide and an organic ligand of the formula: ##STR5## wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are aryl of 6 to about 9 carbon atoms; wherein a gaseous effluent is continuously withdrawn from the reaction zone; wherein the gaseous effluent is cooled to condense the aldehydes formed; and wherein the uncondensed vapors are recycled to the reaction zone; the improvement comprising: sparging said carbon monoxide and hydrogen into said liquid reaction medium and maintaining in said reaction zone a relative concentration of hydrogen to carbon monoxide of at least 12/1, thereby effecting an increase in the yield of straight chain, relative to branched chain, aldehyde product.

Claim 9

The process of claim 5 wherein the liquid reaction medium is stirred and the relative concentration of hydrogen to carbon monoxide is maintained at a value greater than about 35:1.