| abstract |
Preparing polyhydroxy alcohols, and their ethers and esters, by reacting carbon oxides and hydrogen in the presence of a rhodium carbonyl complex having the following infra-red spectrum features:- three intense bands at 1868 cm-1, 1838 cm-1, and 1785 cm-1 with a wider band from 10 cm-1 to the other values. The pressure is 35-3500 kg/cm2 the temp. 100-375 degrees C, particularly 190-275 degrees C. Carbon monoxide is preferred with a Co hydrogen ratio of 20-1:1-20. The rhodium carbonyl is pref. associated with a contra ion, which may be a metal/non metal ion or an organic complex. The catalyst is pref. dissolved in a diluent particularly dialkyl glycol ethers, specif. the dimethyl ether of tetra-ethyleneglycol. Partic. for glycol, glycerol, 1:2-propylene glycol. |