Higher Olefin Hydroformylation in Polyethylene Glycol-H2O Media

1-Dodecene hydroformylation catalyzed by a water-soluble rhodium complex, RhCl(CO)(TPPTS)2 (TPPTS = P(m-C6H4SO3Na)3), using PEG (polyethylene glycol)-water as the solvent was investigated. The effects of various reaction parameters, such as reaction temperature, pressure, molar ratio of the phosphine ligand to rhodium, volume ratio of PEG to water, molecular weight of PEG, and alkenes with different chain lengths, on the hydroformylation were studied. High activity and selectivity for the linear aldehyde were achieved under relatively mild conditions (100 °C, 5.0 MPa). The conversion of 1-dodecene and the selectivity for aldehydes reached 92.6% and 95.8%, respectively. The catalyst immobilized in PEG-water was easily separated from the aldehyde and olefin and can be efficiently recovered and reused eight times without a decrease in reactivity and regioselectivity.