Abstract: An improved rhodium-organophosphite complex catalyzed hydroformylation process, the improvement comprising carrying out said process in the presence of a catalytic activity enhancing additive said additive being selected from the class consisting of added water, a weakly acidic compound, or both added water and a weakly acidic compound.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for removing halides from liquid carboxylic acid contaminated with a halide impurity by contacting the liquid halide-contaminated acid with a silver(I)-exchanged macroreticular resin. The halide reacts with the resin-bound silver and is removed from the carboxylic acid stream. The present invention also relates to an improved method for producing silver-exchanged macroreticular resins suitable for use in the present invention.

Abstract: A method for recovering a transition metal such as rhodium from a polar or non-polar liquid by contacting said transition metal-containing liquid with an ion-exchange resin having bonded ionically thereto an organophosphorus ligand; the transition metal can be eluted from the bed using a liquid containing a sufficient concentration of organophosphorus ligand.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel ionic phosphites and the use thereof as ligands in homogenous transition metal catalyzed processes, especially hydroformylation.

Abstract: An improved rhodium catalyzed liquid recycle hydroformylation process, the improvement which comprises selectively separating and recovering phosphorus ligand from the vaporized aldehyde product stream obtained from volatilizing and separating the aldehyde product from the catalyst containing reaction product solution of the hydroformylation process.

Abstract: A method for distilling a crude aldehyde product mixture of branched chain and straight chain aldehyde in a single distillation column to concurrently obtain three separate product streams, i.e. a purified branched chain aldehyde stream and two different purified straight chain aldehyde streams.

Abstract: An improved liquid recycle rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation process wherein the improvement comprises recovering unreacted olefin contained in a vent gas of the process and recycling said unreacted olefin to the hydroformylation reaction medium.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel ionic phosphites and the use thereof as ligands in homogenous transition metal catalyzed processes, especially hydroformylation.

Abstract: A process for the production of ethylidene diacetate by the catalytic reaction of dimethyl acetal, methyl acetate and carbon monoxide in contact with a homogeneous catalyst system containing rhodium metal atom and lithium iodide.

Abstract: A process for hydrogenating feeds into their corresponding alcohols by contact with a coprecipitated catalyst comprising copper, aluminum, and a metal (X) selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, titanium, zirconium, tin, nickel, cobalt and mixtures thereof; that has been reduced with an increasing temperature during the reduction.

Abstract: An improved process for the rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation of olefins to aldehydes is described. The improvement provides a means for recovering valuable components in gaseous streams by scrubbing the streams with a stripped or cooled catalyst solution.

Abstract: A process for producing acrylic ester by the catalytic esterification of a crude liquid stream of enriched acrylic acid recovered by the partial condensation of the reaction gas effluent from the catalytic oxidation of propylene and/or acrolein. The partial condensation allows a significant proportion of volatile aldehydes and water to pass through the first recovery stage to a second stage for conventional recovery, along with uncondensed acrylic acid vapors and the remainder of the uncondensed reaction gases.

Abstract: A catalyst useful for selectively converting a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a mixture of lower alkanols consisting essentially of a mixture of molybdenum sulfide, an alkali metal compound and a tantalum compound.

Abstract: A process for the production of acetate esters by the catalytic reaction of an alcohol of the formula ROH and carbon monoxide in contact with a homogeneous catalyst system of rhodium metal atom, a phosphorus containing ligand in which there is present at least one oxo (.dbd.O) oxygen atom attached to a phosphorus atom or a carbon atom to form a Z group and the ##STR1## group is located at least one carbon atom removed and preferably from 2-4 carbon atoms removed from the phosphorus atom of the molecules represented by the formulas ##STR2## and a halogen promoter, under mild reaction conditions, wherein R' is H, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl or alkyl, and wherein 1 or more of said R' groups can be substituted with a Z group but not more than 3 of said R' groups in the molecule are so substituted; a is an integer from 0-4; b is an integer from 0-3; and Z is P(O)R'R'; --C(O)OR" or C(O)R", wherein R" is R'; and wherein ROH is methanol or a mixture of methanol and at least one higher alcohol.

Abstract: A process for the catalytic dehydration of saturated 2,2,4-trisubstituted glycol monoesters at elevated temperatures to unsaturated 2,2,4-trisubstituted monoesters in the presence of a non-volatile acid catalyst.

Abstract: Process for production of ethanol at high efficiency, selectivity and conversion rate by the homologation reaction of methanol and carbon monoxide and hydrogen using a catalyst system containing alkali metal atom, cobalt atom, iodine atom and, optionally, ruthenium atom and an organic tertiary amino compound.

Abstract: The reaction of a monohydroxyl or dihydroxyl alcohol with an alpha, beta-unsaturated ester in contact with a strongly basic anionic exchange resin in the hydroxyl or alkoxide form is unexpectedly and unpredictably enhanced by proper control of the water content in the reaction mixture and the temperature at which the reaction is carried out.

Abstract: A hydrocarbonylation process for producing an aldehyde or a mixture of a ketone and an aldehyde which comprises:(I) forming a reaction mixture comprising:(a) a catalytic amount of a complex catalyst consisting essentially of rhodium in complex combination with:(i) a triorganophosphine, and(ii) a carboxylic acid having a phenyl group substituted at the para position with a non-reactive electron-withdrawing group, said phenyl group being free of further substitution and said electron withdrawing group being substantially non-reactive in said process;(b) an alpha-olefin having 2 to 5 carbon atoms,(c) carbon monixide, and(d) hydrogenwith the proviso that the reaction mixture has mole ratio of said carbxoylic acid to rhodium of at least about 2; and(II) maintaining the reaction mixture at a temperature and pressure at which said (b), (c) and (d) react to form an aldehyde or a mixture of an aldehyde and a ketone.

Abstract: A method for recovering a transition metal, e.g., rhodium, from a non-polar organic solution containing non-polar organic solvent-soluble and polar solvent-insoluble coordination complex of the transition metal and a non-polar organic solvent-soluble and polar solvent-insoluble ligand, e.g., an organophosphorus ligand, by contacting the non-polar organic solution with a polar solution of an ionic organophosphine ligand, the transition metal then can be transferred back into a non-polar solution for reuse. In one embodiment rhodium is rendered amenable for back-extraction by treating the polar solution with a suitable conditioning reagent.

Abstract: A liquid phase process for the manufacture of C.sub.2+ alkanols by the reaction of hydrogen with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst containing ruthenium, cobalt, a halide-containing compound, and an aromatic compound substituted in adjacent ring positions by nitrogen atoms. The process embraces the use of rhodium as an additive to the catalyst system.