GB814706A - Low temperature carbonylation - Google Patents

Abstract

In the carbonylation of an olefinic compound by reaction with hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the presence of a cobalt-containing carbonylation catalyst at an elevated pressure and a temperature in the range 30-120 DEG C. to produce oxygenated compounds having one more carbon atom than the starting olefin, at least one of the reactants (including the catalyst) is pre-treated to reduce the total water content of the reactants to below 1 per cent by weight based on the olefinic compound. Suitable olefinic starting materials are straight and branched-chain olefines, unsaturated alcohols, e.g. allyl alcohol, unsaturated fatty acids, e.g. oleic acid, and diolefines. Preferably the H2/CO ratio used is between 0.5 : 1 and 5 : 1. Suitable catalysts are Raney nickel, cobalt carbonyls, cobalt oleate, naphthenate and stearate and the cobalt salts of other high fatty acids. Pressures of from 1000 to 10,000 p.s.i. may be used. The olefine feed may be dried by severe distillation or by passing the feed over a solid drying agent such as CaSO4, BaO, alumina, bauxite, CaCl2, CaO, hydrides and P2O3 or by refrigeration techniques. The catalyst and synthesis gas may be dried by contacting with various drying agents, e.g. CaSO4, CaCl2, alumina or BaO. In an example the process is applied to the carbonylation of n-heptene-1. Specification 663,240 is referred to.