Abstract: Catalyst preforming rates during hydroformylation may decrease in the presence of carbonates. Carbonate mitigation methods may comprise treating a hydroformylation reaction product with an aqueous carboxylic acid under oxidizing conditions to form a deactivated catalyst aqueous solution having a pH of about 4 or less, reducing the hydroformylation reaction product to form a reduced reaction product, conveying a gas stream through the reduced reaction product to strip carbon dioxide therefrom, contacting caustic aqueous solution with the stripped reduced reaction product to form partially spent caustic aqueous solution, combining at least a portion of the partially spent caustic aqueous solution with the deactivated catalyst aqueous solution to form a combined aqueous mixture sufficiently acidic to decompose carbonate, and extracting a Group 9 transition metal carboxylate from the combined aqueous mixture into an organic phase.

Abstract: Olefin compositions comprising C5 to C13 branched chain olefins are stabilised by the addition of 5 to less than 50 ppm by weight of antioxidant. These lower than normal amounts of antioxidant enable improved yields in a hydroformylation reaction using the olefin composition as feedstock and in esterification reactions employing the alcohol produced in the hydroformylation reaction. Consistent lower levels of antioxidant can be achieved by use of a liquid antioxidant and a pump driven dosing system.

Abstract: In a hydroformylation reaction, the circulation and recovery of cobalt carbonyl in a cobalt catalyst cycle using carbonylate as an intermediate and acidification thereof, is improved by supplying an aqueous sulfuric acid solution containing less than 16% wt of sulfuric acid to the carbonylate to control sulfuric acid concentration in the carbonylate/acid mixture, before accounting for any acid consuming reaction, to a value of from 2% to 10% by weight. Single step and multistage liquid/liquid extraction techniques as well as vapor/liquid extraction techniques followed by the absorption of cobalt from the vapor in an organic liquid both benefit from this improvement.

Abstract: In a hydroformylation reaction, the circulation and recovery of cobalt carbonyl in a cobalt catalyst cycle using carbonylate as an intermediate and acidification thereof, is improved by supplying an aqueous sulfuric acid solution containing less than 16% wt of sulfuric acid to the carbonylate to control sulfuric acid concentration in the carbonylate/acid mixture, before accounting for any acid consuming reaction, to a value of from 2% to 10% by weight. Single step and multistage liquid/liquid extraction techniques as well as vapour/liquid extraction techniques followed by the absorption of cobalt from the vapour in an organic liquid both benefit from this improvement.

Abstract: Olefin compositions comprising C5 to C13 branched chain olefins are stabilised by the addition of 5 to less than 50 ppm by weight of antioxidant. These lower than normal amounts of antioxidant enable improved yields in a hydroformylation reaction using the olefin composition as feedstock and in esterification reactions employing the alcohol produced in the hydroformylation reaction. Consistent lower levels of antioxidant can be achieved by use of a liquid antioxidant and a pump driven dosing system.