US 12,246,310 B2
Processes for recovery of rhodium from a hydroformylation process
Marinus A. Bigi, Pearland, TX (US); Michael A. Brammer, Lake Jackson, TX (US); Thomas C. Eisenschmid, Cross Lanes, WV (US); Glenn A. Miller, South Charleston, WV (US); George R. Phillips, South Charleston, WV (US); and Amarnath Singh, Pearland, TX (US)
Assigned to Dow Technology Investments LLC, Midland, MI (US)
Appl. No. 17/754,163
Filed by Dow Technology Investments LLC, Midland, MI (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 20, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/056414
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 25, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/091687, PCT Pub. Date May 14, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/930,833, filed on Nov. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0288574 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. B01J 31/40 (2006.01); B01J 31/18 (2006.01)
CPC B01J 31/4092 (2013.01) [B01J 31/1845 (2013.01); B01J 31/4046 (2013.01); B01J 2231/321 (2013.01); B01J 2531/822 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
 
1. A process for the recovery of rhodium from a catalyst purge stream from a C6 or higher olefin hydroformylation process, the process comprising:
(a) treating a catalyst-containing liquid purge stream from the hydroformylation process, wherein the catalyst comprises rhodium and an organophosphorous ligand, with an oxidant in the presence of a separate liquid aqueous phase comprising a halide-free acid at a sufficient temperature to effect oxidation of 50 weight % or more of the contained organophosphorous ligand, wherein the halide-free acid is a C1-C6 organic acid or phosphorous acid;
(b) recovering the aqueous phase;
(c) contacting the aqueous phase with a separate organic phase by mixing the two phases under a syngas atmosphere, wherein the separate organic phase comprises water-insoluble, hydrolysable organophosphorous ligand and recycled olefin from a hydroformylation process; and
(d) separating the organic phase to be recycled back to a hydroformylation process.