Hydroformylation of propene and 1-hexene catalysed by a alpha-zirconium phosphate supported rhodium-phosphine complex

The reaction of the amphiphilic ligand {4-[bis(diethylaminoethyl)aminomethy l]diphenyl}phosphine with alpha -zirconium phosphate, of intermediate surfa ce area (24m(2) g(-1)), provided a phosphine functionalised support in whic h electrostatic interaction between ammonium groups on the ligand and de-pr otonated surface hydroxyl groups on the support provided the binding force. The X-ray powder diffractogram of the material showed that the binding low ers the crystallinity of the carrier and that the ligand is not intercalate d but bound at the outer surface and at the entrances to the interlamellar space. Reaction of the phosphine functionalised support with Rh(CO)(2)(acac ) led to CO-phosphine exchange and formation of an immobilised complex of t he composition LRh(CO)(acac) (L = surface bound phosphine). When applied as catalyst in continuous gas-phase hydroformylation of propene and in liquid phase hydroformylation of 1-hexene the immobilised complex showed intermed iate activity and regioselectivity, (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All righ ts reserved.