Hydroformylation of 7-tetradecene using Rh-TPPTS in a microemulsion Original Research Article

Water soluble rhodium catalyst complexes are highly active in a microemulsion system stabilized by technical grade surfactants of the alkyl-polyglycolether type. At temperatures around 120 °C and pressures of 100 bar internal alkenes are hydroformylated with high regioselectivity. 7-Tetradecene as model alkene was effectively hydroformylated in microemulsions with high reaction rates yielding 2-hexyl-nonal. Under the reaction conditions applied the equilibria between different catalytically active complexes are shifted towards the unmodified HRh(CO)3. Easy catalyst recycling of the water soluble modified complex is possible when the equilibrium is shifted back under work-up conditions.