| abstract |
A process for hydroformylation of an olefin, which comprises reacting an olefin with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a rhodium catalyst having a trivalent organic phosphorus compound as a ligand, wherein the hydroformylation reaction is conducted by two stage reactor systems i.e., a first stage reactor system comprising a reactor or reactors having a mixing characteristic of the liquid phase being substantially of complete mixing type, and a second stage reactor system being a reaction system of a catalyst solution circulating type and comprising a reactor or reactors having a mixing characteristic of piston flow type wherein when the mixing characteristic of the liquid phase is represented by a diffusion model, a non-dimensional number U (hereafter referred to as a "flow mixing parameter") defined by the formula (I): n n U.tbd.uL/2E (I) n n wherein u is an average flow velocity (cm/sec), L is the length (cm) of the reaction layer, and E is an average diffusion coefficient (cm 2 /sec), is at least 0.4, a gaseous product or gas-liquid mixture discharged from the first stage reactor system, is separated into a stream containing the unreacted olefin and other stream, and a part or whole of the stream containing the unreacted olefin is supplied to the second stage reactor system. |