GB702192A - Improvements in or relating to the production of oxygen-containing organic compoundsfrom carbon monoxide, hydrogen and olefins - Google Patents

Abstract

In the production of aldehydes, alcohols and other oxygen-containing compounds by subjecting carbon monoxide, hydrogen and an olefinic compound to the Oxo synthesis reaction, a cobalt carbonyl or cobalt carbonyl hydride or mixture thereof is employed as the catalyst (see Group III) and is fed to the synthesis zone in an amount of 0.01-5.0 per cent. (determined as cobalt) by weight of the olefine in the feed, the synthesis being effected in a continuous manner without the introduction of cobalt or a cobalt compound in the solid phase. The carbonyl may be fed in the gaseous phase or as a solution in an organic solvent, e.g. liquid aromatic or aliphatic hydrocarbons, ethers, esters, alkanols and the high boiling products of the Oxo synthesis reaction. The synthesis is preferably effected at 100-180 DEG C. and under at least 50 atmospheres pressure. Recovery of cobalt may be effected by heating the liquid effluent from the synthesis zone, if desired in the presence of hydrogen, cobalt being precipitated on to pumice, kieselguhr, silica gel or activated charcoal, and if the feed contains olefines of 2-4 carbon atoms, the liquid effluent is first passed to a flash distillation stage operated at a temperature not exceeding 50 DEG C., the aldehydes being thus removed overhead and the cobalt containing residue being then treated for recovery of cobalt. The process may be employed for the conversion of acyclic mono-olefinic hydrocarbons, polyenes such as butadiene, cyclic olefines such as cyclopentene, cyclohexene and styrene and also organic compounds containing ethylene unsaturation such as vinyl acetate, allyl esters, allyl alcohol, ethyl acrylate and oleic acid esters. Specifications 631,316, 638,754, 644,665, 702,221, 702,222, 702,241 and 702,242 are referred to.ALSO:A catalyst for the OXO synthesis (see Group IV(b)), comprises a cobalt carbonyl, e.g. CO2 (CO)8, or cobalt carbonyl hydride, e.g. Co(CO)4H, or a mixture thereof, and is prepared by contacting cobalt or a cobalt compound with carbon p monoxide, if desired in admixture with hydrogen or nitrogen, at 20-300 atmospheres and 30 DEG -250 DEG C., to produce a gaseous catalyst or to produce a solution thereof in an organic liquid if an organic solvent, e.g. aromatic or aliphatic hydrocarbons, ethers, esters, alkenols and high boiling point products of the OXO synthesis, is present during the carbonyl-forming reaction. Specified cobalt compounds, which may be pretreated with hydrogen, are the oxide, carbonate, sulphide or halides, the halide being employed in the presence of a halogen acceptor, e.g. copper. Cobalt metal may be supported on pumice or bieselguke. Recovery of cobalt may be effected by heating the effluent from the OXO synthesis zone, if desired in the presence of hydrogen, cobalt being precipitated on to pumice, kieselguhr, silica gel or activated charcoal Specifications 631,316, 638,754, 644,665, [all in Group IV(b)], 702,221, 702,222, 702,241 and 702,242 [both in Group IV(b)], are referred to.