HYDROFORMYLATION OF PROPYLENE TETRAMERS IN THE PRESENCE OF COBALT CARBONYL-COMPLEXES

An investigation has been made of the hydroformylation of propylene te tramers in the presence of cobalt complexes Co-2(CO)(8) and Co-2(CO)(8 ) + P(C12H25)(3) and a cobalt carbonyl-pyridine complex, The kinetics of the main reaction (the hydroformylation of C-12 olefins) and second ary reactions has been studied. A mathematical model of the process ha s been created. The use of cobalt complexes as hydroformylation cataly st precursors is ineffective owing to the intense secondary reactions that occur with high degrees of conversion of the initial olefin. The introduction of pyridine into the reaction in the form of a cobalt car bonyl-pyridine complex makes it possible to increase the target produc t yield considerably and to carry out the parallel hydrogenation of th e carbonyl group of the aldehyde to an alcohol. (C) 1996 Elsevier Scie nce Ltd. All rights reserved.