Patent ID: 7935850

Claim:
A continuous process for the hydroformylation of propylene comprising feeding (i) a propylene stream at a rate of at least 3 tonnes per hour, and (ii) synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide to a hydroformylation reactor wherein the propylene is hydroformylated over a rhodium containing catalyst, and wherein (a) the propylene stream contains at least 97 mole % of propylene; (b) the molar ratio of (H 2 +CO) contained in the fresh synthesis gas fed to the reactor, to the propylene contained in the fresh propylene stream fed to the reactor, is greater than 1.93; and (c) in the synthesis gas feed, the hydrogen over carbon monoxide molar ratio is from >1:1 to 1.2:1 and thereby by producing a hydroformylated product comprising butyraldehyde.