摘要 |
A process for producing primary alcohols from secondary alcohols and/or tertiary alcohols and/or ketones, wherein the process comprises reacting a compound selected from a secondary alcohol, a tertiary alcohol, a ketone, or mixtures thereof, with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst based on: (i) a source of Group VIII metal, (ii) a bidentate ligand having the general formula (I): <?in-line-formulae description="In-line Formulae" end="lead"?>R<SUP>1</SUP>R<SUP>2</SUP>M<SUP>1</SUP>-R-M<SUP>2</SUP>R<SUP>3</SUP>R<SUP>4</SUP> (I)<?in-line-formulae description="In-line Formulae" end="tail"?> wherein M<SUP>1 </SUP>and M<SUP>2 </SUP>are independently P, As or Sb; R<SUP>1 </SUP>and R<SUP>2 </SUP>together represent a bivalent substituted or unsubstituted cyclic aliphatic group whereby the two free valencies are linked to M<SUP>1</SUP>; R<SUP>3 </SUP>and R<SUP>4 </SUP>independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, or together represent a bivalent or non-substituted cyclic group whereby the two free valencies are linked to M<SUP>2</SUP>; and R represents a bivalent aliphatic bridging group; and (iii) an acid having a pK<SUB>a </SUB>of 3 or less which is in excess over the Group VIII metal. |