Abstract: A process for stabilizing a fluorophosphite ligand in a hydroformylation reaction mixture having an &agr;-olefin, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and a catalyst composition having a combination of a rhodium containing compound and one or more fluorophosphite compounds having the general formula: wherein R1 and R2 are hydrocarbyl radicals which contain a total of up to about 40 carbon atoms, the process includes the step of adding to the reaction mixture an epoxide in a sufficient amount to reduce the degradation of the fluorophosphite ligand.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an improved gas phase process for the selective epoxidation of non-allylic olefins wherein the epoxidation is carried out in the presence of certain inert, paraffin hydrocarbons. Such hydrocarbons possess higher heat capacities as compared to other materials, e.g., nitrogen, argon, methane and helium, typically used as inert diluents in olefin epoxidations. The disclosed process is particularly useful for the continuous manufacture of 3,4-epoxy-1-butene from 1,3-butadiene.

Abstract: Disclosed are improved processes for the recovery of 3,4-epoxy-1-butene (EpB) from an epoxidation effluent comprising EpB, butadiene, oxygen and butane obtained by the selective epoxidation of butadiene with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalyst and an inert gas. EpB is separated from the effluent by means of an absorption process using liquid mixture of butadiene and butane as the absorbent material. The inclusion of butane in the epoxidation and recovery processes permits the use of lower pressures in the absorption of the EpB product.

Abstract: Disclosed are processes for the manunfacture of 3,4-epoxy-1-butene (EpB) and, particularly, for the recovery of EpB from an epoxidation effluent comprising EpB, butadiene, oxygen and an inert gas obtained by the selective epoxidation of butadiene with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalyst and an inert gas. EpB is separated from the effluent by means of an absorption process using liquid butadiene as the absorbent material.

Abstract: A hydroformylation process including contacting hydroformylation stock in a reaction zone at a temperature of from about 20.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C. and a pressure of from about 15 psig to about 800 psig with hydrogen and carbon monoxide wherein the catalyst comprises rhodium in chemical complex with one or more ligands of the formulae ##STR1## wherein: Z, when present, represents the atoms necessary to form with adjacent carbons on the benzene nucleus a fused divalent ring structure having up to about 20 ring carbons;each ring is either unsubstituted or one or more of the hydrogens thereof is replaced with a substituent R selected independently from alkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, alkoxyalkyl, cycloaliphatic, halogen, alkanoyl, alkanoyloxy, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyl or cyano;each R.sub.1 and R.sub.

Abstract: A hydroformylation process including contacting hydroformylation stock in a reaction zone at a temperature of from about 20.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C. and a pressure of from about 15 psig to about 800 psig with hydrogen and carbon monoxide wherein the catalyst comprises rhodium in chemical complex with one or more ligands of the formulae ##STR1## wherein: Z, when present, represents the atoms necessary to form with adjacent carbons on the benzene nucleus a fused divalent ring structure having up to about 20 ring carbons;each ring is either unsubstituted or one or more of the hydrogens thereof is replaced with a substituent R selected independently from alkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, alkoxyalkyl, cycloaliphatic, halogen, alkanoyl, alkanoyloxy, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyl or cyano;each R.sub.1 and R.sub.