Abstract: A process for the hydroformylation of ethylene, with a transition metal, e.g., rhodium, catalyst promoted with a bidentate ligand of Formula I, II or III in which each R1-R24 are independently a hydrogen, a hydrocarbyl group, an aromatic ring, a heteroaromatic ring or a halogen atom, or a heterocarbyl group. X1 is CH2 or O, while X2 is O or C(R25)2, where each R25 may be the same or different and is a hydrogen, a cycloaliphatic group, an aromatic ring, a heteroaromatic ring or a halogen atom, or a heterocarbyl group, wherein two R25 groups may combine in a fused ring, and Y is a pyrrole group bound via the nitrogen atom to phosphorus, wherein each pyrrole group may bear multiple substituents selected from among the groups alkyl, alkoxy, acyl, carboxyl, carboxylate, cyano, —SO3H, sulfonate, amino, trifluoromethyl and halogen.

Abstract: A process for the hydroformylation of ethylene, with a transition metal, e.g., rhodium, catalyst promoted with a bidentate ligand of Formula I, II or III in which each R1-R24 are independently a hydrogen, a hydrocarbyl group, an aromatic ring, a heteroaromatic ring or a halogen atom, or a heterocarbyl group. X1 is CH2 or O, while X2 is O or C(R25)2, where each R25 may be the same or different and is a hydrogen, a cycloaliphatic group, an aromatic ring, a heteroaromatic ring or a halogen atom, or a heterocarbyl group, wherein two R25 groups may combine in a fused ring, and Y is a pyrrole group bound via the nitrogen atom to phosphorus, wherein each pyrrole group may bear multiple substituents selected from among the groups alkyl, alkoxy, acyl, carboxyl, carboxylate, cyano, —SO3H, sulfonate, amino, trifluoromethyl and halogen.