Hydroformylation of functionalized alkenes
Hydroformylation of alkenes (or olefins)

The hydroformylation of alkenes carrying other functions such as alcohol, aldehyde, etc., is difficult to apply in the presence of cobalt catalysts operating at over 120 ˚C. Secondary reactions with the aldehydes formed become excessive.

On the other hand, the use of rhodium has enabled the industrialization of several processes:

• hydroformylation of allyl alcohol to produce butanediol, a base for polyester (Kuraray process, 180,000 t/year);

• hydroformylation of oct-7-enal to produce nonanediol or nonanediamine, a component of polyamides (Kuraray process, 3,000 t/year);

• hydroformylation of functionalized butenes, intermediates in vitamin A synthesis (Hoffmann-La Roche and BASF processes: total 3,000 t/year cited as a reminder). This process uses rhodium...