| abstract |
A method for hydroxycarbonylating pentenoic acids, wherein one or more pentenoic acids are hydroxycarbonylated into adipic acid with carbon monoxide and water in the presence of an iridium and/or rhodium based catalyst and at least one iodated promoter; the resulting reaction mixture is refined, optionally after having been concentrated, to separate at least a portion of the catalyst; and the catalyst thus separated is recycled in a pentenoic acid, butadiene or butadiene derivative hydroxycarbonylation process. |