Catalyst for the Hydroformylation of Olefins, and Use Thereof

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This patent describes a new type of catalyst for the hydroformylation of olefins, which uses N-heterocyclic silylene (NHSi) ligands bound to transition metals such as rhodium or cobalt. The NHSi ligands serve as powerful electronic modifiers of the metal center, improving both the activity and selectivity of the catalyst. The invention enables more efficient synthesis of aldehydes by transforming olefins (alkenes) in the presence of synthesis gas (carbon monoxide and hydrogen).

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Large-scale industrial production of aldehydes from olefins for chemical manufacturing.
• Production of plasticizers for PVC, solvents, and polymer precursors via hydroformylation products.
• Synthesis of fine chemicals and intermediates that require specific aldehyde isomers.
• Production of alcohols by subsequent hydrogenation of aldehydes obtained from hydroformylation.
• Hydroformylation of challenging substrates such as higher olefins (C7-C12), functionalized olefins, or styrene derivatives.

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• The catalyst provides much higher activity (turnover frequency up to three times compared to state-of-the-art ligands like XantPhos), enabling faster and/or more efficient reactions.
• Improved regioselectivity toward desirable linear aldehyde products, reducing unwanted byproducts.
• Cobalt or rhodium systems can be tailored for a wide range of olefin substrates, broadening industrial applicability.
• The catalyst demonstrates high thermal stability, making it suitable for use at higher reaction temperatures without degradation.
• The use of bidentate NHSi ligands allows for better control of the catalytic environment and facilitates product-catalyst separation as well as in situ catalyst formation.

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a catalyst for the hydroformylation of at least one olefin, comprising a ligand of the general formula (I) - R1, R2, R3 selected from the group comprising substituted and non-substituted alkyl, substituted and non-substituted aryl, substituted and non-substituted alkenyl, substituted and non-substituted alkinyl, substituted and non-substituted cycloalkyl, and substituted and non-substituted heterocycles, - wherein R1, R2 and R3 can each be the same or different, L is selected from a group comprising a sandwich complex, an oxygen group, substituted and non-substituted alkylene or heteroycles, and substituted aryl or heteroaryl; and aryl and heteroaryl is each substituted with groups which contain at least two heteroatoms and are coupled to the Si via the at least two heteroatoms of the substituents, - n = 1-10, preferably 1-5, particularly preferably 1, 2, or 3; and - the ligand is coupled to the metal M from the group VIIIb of the periodic table of elements via the Si group.