ABSTRACT
One of the oldest applications of homogeneous catalysis in the chemical industry is the oxo reaction, catalyzed originally by cobalt carbonyl, which even today remains one of the most important industrial homogeneous catalytic processes [1]. It involves hydroformylation, the reaction of an olefin with carbon nl0noxide and hydrogen to produce aldehydes, e. g), butyraldehycte from propene or propionaldehyde from ethylene, and fatty alcohols from higher olefins:
(10.1) (10.2)
A major improvement in the catalytic oxo process was made by introducing the production of butyraldehycte from xylene employing honl0geneous rhodium catalysts containing a phosphine ligand.
