HOMOGENEOUS HYDROGENATION OF UNSATURATED ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS CATALYZED BY RHODIUM COMPLEXES CONTAINING TRIOCTYLAMINE AS A LIGAND

Two new types of toluene-soluble rhodium-complex catalysts for hydroge nation of multiple carbon-carbon bonds are synthesized by the reaction of rhodium salts with trioctylamine. The productivity of these cataly sts reaches 26 000 moles of substrate per gram-atom of rhodium per hou r at 20 degrees C and at a hydrogen pressure of 0.1 MPa. The promoting effect of molecular oxygen and water on homogeneous rhodium-complex c atalysts prepared by direct interaction of rhodium trichloride with tr ioctylamine is established. A scheme for catalyst activation involving the reversible chemisorption of oxygen by the complex is proposed on the basis of IR-spectroscopic data The kinetics of hydrogenation of un saturated hydrocarbons is studied.