Process for producing aldehydes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10351503-B2
Application number	US-201615768397-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2016
Priority date	Nov 10, 2015
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to processes for producing aldehydes wherein an olefinic compound, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen are reacted in the presence of a solubilized rhodium-phosphorous complex. In one embodiment, the process comprises (a) receiving a vaporized aldehyde product stream downstream from a hydroformylation reactor, the vaporized aldehyde product stream comprising aldehydes, phosphorous ligand, and aldehyde condensation by-products; (b) contacting the vaporized aldehyde product stream with a partial condenser so as to condense the phosphorous ligand and the by-products, wherein up to 10 weight percent of the vaporized stream is condensed; (c) removing the condensed phosphorous ligand and the condensed by-products from the liquid condensation stream using a refining column; and (d) further processing the vaporized aldehydes from the separate refining column.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process for producing aldehydes wherein an olefinic compound, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen are reacted in the presence of a solubilized rhodium-phosphorous complex, the process comprising:
(a) receiving a vaporized aldehyde product stream downstream from a hydroformylation reactor, the vaporized aldehyde product stream comprising aldehydes, phosphorous ligand, and aldehyde condensation by-products;
(b) contacting the vaporized aldehyde product stream with a partial condenser so as to condense the phosphorous ligand and the by-products, wherein up to 10 weight percent of the vaporized stream is condensed and wherein the partial condenser comprises a heat exchange device;
(c) removing the condensed phosphorous ligand and the condensed by-products from the liquid condensation stream using a refining column; and
(d) further processing the vaporized aldehydes from the separate refining column.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the uncondensed aldehyde product stream from step (b) is transported for further processing.

3. A process for producing aldehydes, the process comprising:
(a) reacting an olefinic compound, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen in the presence of a solubilized rhodium-phosphorous complex, free phosphorus ligand, and aldehyde condensation by-products to produce aldehydes in a liquid reaction solution;
(b) vaporizing the liquid reaction solution to provide a vaporized aldehyde product stream comprising aldehydes, phosphorous ligand, and aldehyde condensation by-products;
(c) partially condensing the vaporized product stream with a partial condenser to provide a liquid condensation stream comprising condensed phosphorous ligand and condensed by-products, and a gas stream comprising aldehydes, wherein up to 10 weight percent of the vaporized product stream is condensed and wherein the partial condenser comprises a heat exchange device;
(d) removing the condensed phosphorous ligand and the condensed by-products from the liquid condensation stream using a refining column; and
(e) further processing the vaporized aldehydes from the separate refining column.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the aldehyde condensation by-products have a boiling point at least 30° C. greater than the boiling point of the aldehydes.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the olefinic compound is an olefin having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein up to 5 weight percent of the vaporized product stream is condensed.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein up to 4 weight percent of the vaporized product stream is condensed.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the phosphorus ligand is a triorganophosphine compound.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the phosphorus ligand comprises triphenylphosphine.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the phosphorus ligand comprises cyclohexyldiphenylphosphine.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the condensed phosphorus ligand and the condensed by-products are not returned to the process.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the vaporized aldehyde product stream further comprises amines, and wherein the liquid condensation stream from the partial condenser further comprises condensed amines.

Assignees

• Dow Technology Investments Llc

Inventors

• Smith Gerald L
• Simpson Kathleen

Classifications

• C07C45/50 Primary

  by oxo-reactions · CPC title

• C07C47/02

  Saturated compounds having —CHO groups bound to acyclic carbon atoms or to hydrogen · CPC title

• C07C45/81

  by change in the physical state, e.g. crystallisation · CPC title

• B01J2531/822

  Rhodium · CPC title

• B01J2231/321

  Hydroformylation, metalformylation, carbonylation or hydroaminomethylation · CPC title