摘要 |
A process is provided for the recovery of an optionally substituted C7 to C17 aldehyde from a liquid hydroformylation product medium obtained by rhodium catalyzed hydroformylation of an optionally substituted C6 to C16 olefin which contains (i) a rhodium complex hydroformylation catalyst containing rhodium in complex combination with carbon monoxide and with a ligand, (ii) excess ligand, (iii) at least one optionally substituted C7 to C17 aldehyde, and (iv) aldehyde condensation products, which process comprises: (a) degassing said liquid hydroformylation medium; (b) passing the degassed liquid hydroformylation medium through an evaporation zone maintained under temperature and pressure conditions conducive to evaporation of said at least one C7 to C17 aldehyde; (c) recovering from the evaporation zone a liquid catalyst-containing stream; (d) cooling the catalyst-containing stream exiting the evaporation zone; (e) recovering a vaporous stream from the evaporation zone containing (i) at least one optionally substituted C7 to C17 aldehyde, (ii) ligand and (iii) a minor amount of said aldehyde condensation products; (f) passing said vaporous stream to a fractionation zone; (g) recovering from said fractionation zone (i) a vaporous product stream containing said at least one C7 to C17 aldehyde, and (ii) a liquid bottom stream containing said ligand and aldehyde condensation products; and (h) recycling said cooled catalyst-containing stream of step (d) and at least a part of the material of said liquid bottom stream of step (g) to said hydroformylation zone. |