FUNCTIONALIZED PHOSPHINE SUBSTITUTED COBALT CARBONYLS - SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND CATALYTIC ACTIVITY IN THE HYDROFORMYLATION OF OLEFIN

Four tertiary phosphines containing functionalized alkyl groups P(CH2C H2CN)(3), P(CH2CH2CO2CH3)(3), P(CH2CH2CH2OCH3)(3) and P(CH2CH2CH2OCH2C H3)(3) have been synthesized and used as ligands in Co-2(CO)(6)(L)(2) complexes which were fully characterized. The catalytic activity of th ese cobalt complexes in the hydroformylation of hex-1-ene and propene was tested. The influence of several parameters such as type of solven t, reaction temperature, carbon monoxide partial pressure, excess of f ree phosphine in solution, on the chemio- and regioselectivity of the reaction were investigated. These results are compared with those obta ined when using Co-2(CO)(8) or Co-2(CO)(6)(PBu(3))(2) as catalytic pre cursors. The hydroformylation of hex-1-ene in the presence of the abov e complexes has been rationalized on the basis of the mechanism sugges ted for the hydroformylation of propene in the presence of Co-2(CO)(6) (PBu(3))(2).