Patent ID: 7667079
Filing Date: 2010-02-23
Classification: B01J,C07F,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A process for recovering a triphenylphosphine from a Group VIII metal catalyst complex mixture comprising: (i) producing a distillate from a Group VIII metal catalyst complex mixture comprising a Group VIII metal catalyst complex, a triphenylphosphine, and a light ends component wherein the distillate comprises at least a portion of the triphenylphosphine as a vapor and at least a portion of the light ends component as a vapor; (ii) cooling the distillate to a temperature below the boiling point of the light ends component to form a condensate comprising from 70 wt. % to 95 wt. % of the light ends component in liquid form and from 5 wt. % to 30 wt. % of the triphenylphosphine; (iii) cooling the condensate to a temperature at which at least a portion of the triphenylphosphine is converted to triphenylphosphine crystals in the condensate wherein the condensate is free of an added solvent; and (iv) recovering at least a portion of the triphenylphosphine crystals from the condensate.