ON HYDROGEN ACTIVATION IN THE HYDROFORMYLATION OF OLEFINS WITH Rh4(CO)12 OR Co2(CO)8 AS CATALYST PRECURSORS

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(83)85072-4

In the hydroformylation of ethylene with approximately equimolar H2/D2 mixtures and Rh4(CO)12 or Co2(CO)8 as the catalyst precursor about 50percent of propionaldehyde-d₁ was formed.The propionaldehyde-d₀/d₂ ratio was ca. 3 for rhodium and ca. 2.6 for the cobalt catalyst.On the basis of the results and assuming that there is no rapid M(H)2/M(D)2 scrambling, activation of hydrogen through M(H)2 or M(H)2 (olefin) complexes can be excluded.