Applications of Homogeneous Water-gas Shift Reaction. III. A Further Study of the Hydrocarbonylation. A Highly Selective Formation of Diethyl Ketone from Ethene, CO, and H2O

Abstract

Abstract The hydrocarbonylation of ethene with CO and H2O produces diethyl ketone with a high selectivity of 99±1%(propanal 1±1%); a Co2(CO)8–phosphine system is used as an efficient catalyst, which is also active for the homogeneous water-gas shift reaction. The effects of the reaction parameters(CO pressure, temperature, and ethene and H2O concentrations) on the selectivity and activity are examined for the Co2(CO)8–1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (diphos) system; the selectivity to yield the ketone is fairly high under the variety of conditions studied here. Evidence suggests that the active species which catalyze the water-gas shift reaction participate in the hydrocarbonylation of ethene.