Patent ID: 7663002
Filing Date: 2010-02-16
Classification: C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A non-aqueous hydroformylation process with a separation stage for recovery of aldehyde product(s) and recovery of rhodium catalyst, the process comprising: (a) hydroformylating a mixture of olefinically-mono-unsaturated and olefinically-poly-unsaturated compounds with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a rhodium-organophosphorus ligand complex, a free organophosphorus ligand, and a polar organic solubilizing agent for said complex and said free ligand, in a hydroformylation reactor at a total pressure ranging from 250 psia (1,724 kPa) to 450 psia (3,103 kPa); and obtaining therefrom a non-aqueous hydroformylation reaction product composition comprising one or more aldehyde products, one or more conjugated polyolefins, the rhodium-organophosphorus ligand complex, the free organophosphorus ligand, and the polar organic solubilizing agent for said complex and said free ligand; wherein the one or more aldehyde products each comprise greater than 8 carbon atoms; wherein the one or more olefinically-mono-unsaturated compounds, one or more olefinically poly-unsaturated compounds, and one or more conjugated poly-olefins each comprise greater than 7 carbon atoms; and the organophosphorus ligand comprises an ionically-charged organophosphine ligand; and (b) separating said hydroformylation reaction product composition by contacting said composition with water and optionally a nonpolar solvent under conditions sufficient to obtain by one or more stages of phase separation a nonpolar phase comprising the one or more aldehyde products, the one or more conjugated polyolefins, the optional nonpolar solvent, and rhodium in a concentration less than 1.0 ppm by weight, based on the weight of the nonpolar phase, and a polar phase comprising the rhodium-organophosphorus ligand complex, the free organophosphorus ligand, the polar organic solubilizing agent, and added water; the contacting with water and optional nonpolar solvent in at least one stage of phase separation occurring in the presence of a carbon monoxide-containing gas, a hydrogen-containing gas, or a mixture thereof at a total pressure greater than 20 psia (138 kPa) and less than 400 psia (2,758 kPa); provided that the sum of the total pressure in the hydroformylation step (a) and the total pressure of the at least one separation step (b) in employing said aforementioned gas is greater than 360 psia (2,482 kPa).