Homogeneous hydroformylation catalysis with silyl substituted alkyl diaryl phosphine metal complexes

摘要

Described is a carbonylation process using novel homogeneous trihydrocarbyl silyl-substituted alkyl diaryl phosphine transition metal complexes of the general formula: ##EQU1## wherein Ar is a C.sub.6 to C. sub.10 aromatic hydrocarbyl radical, Q is a C.sub.1 to C.sub.30 saturated straight chain divalent radical, R is a C.sub.1 to C.sub.10 hydrocarbyl, wherein Ar, Q and R, can be substituted or unsubstituted, y is 1 to 4, g times y is 1 to 6, M is a transition metal selected from the group consisting of Group VIII transition metals, X is an anion or organic ligand excluding halogen satisfying the valence and coordination sites of the metal, n is 2 to 6 and s is 1 to 3, are disclosed. These materials exhibit high thermal stability and are superior catalysts for the selective hydroformylation of olefins, particularly in the presence of excess quantities of ligand of the formula: ##EQU2## wherein Ar, Q, R, and y are as previously defined. Specifically, tris-(trimethyl silyl- ethyl diphenyl phosphine) rhodium carbonyl hydride, ##EQU3## and tris bis- (diphenylphosphinoethyl)dimethylsilane! rhodium carbonyl hydride, ##EQU4## are selective olefin hydroformulation catalysts, particularly in the presence of excess trihydrocarbyl silyl-substituted alkyl diaryl phosphine ligand.