Rhodium‐catalysed hydroformylation of 1‐octene using aryl and ferrocenyl Schiff base‐derived ligands

Abstract

Monometallic and heterobimetallic complexes of Rh(I) bearing chelating N , O ‐bidentate aryl‐ and ferrocenyl‐derived ligands have been synthesised via Schiff base condensation reactions, and characterised fully using 1 H NMR, 13 C{ 1 H} NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, elemental analysis and mass spectrometry. The new monometallic and heterobimetallic complexes were evaluated as potential catalyst precursors in the hydroformylation of 1‐octene at 95°C and 40 bar. The ferrocenylimine mononuclear compounds were inactive in the hydroformylation experiments. The Rh(I) monometallic and the ferrocene–Rh(I) heterobimetallic pre‐catalysts displayed good activity and conversion of 1‐octene as well as outstanding chemoselectivity towards aldehydes in the hydroformylation reaction.