Regioselective hydroformylation of propene catalysed by rhodium-zeolite

Xiangjie Zhang, Tao Yan, Huaming Hou, Junqing Yin, Hongliu Wan (), Xiaodong Sun, Qing Zhang, Fanfei Sun, Yao Wei, Mei Dong, Weibin Fan, Jianguo Wang, Yujie Sun, Xiong Zhou, Kai Wu, Yong Yang (), Yongwang Li and Zhi Cao ()
Additional contact information
Xiangjie Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Tao Yan: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Huaming Hou: Synfuels China Technology Co., Ltd.
Junqing Yin: Chengdu University
Hongliu Wan: Synfuels China Technology Co., Ltd.
Xiaodong Sun: Synfuels China Technology Co., Ltd.
Qing Zhang: ShanghaiTech University
Fanfei Sun: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yao Wei: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Mei Dong: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Weibin Fan: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jianguo Wang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yujie Sun: University of Cincinnati
Xiong Zhou: Peking University
Kai Wu: Peking University
Yong Yang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yongwang Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhi Cao: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature, 2024, vol. 629, issue 8012, 597-602

Abstract: Abstract Hydroformylation is an industrial process for the production of aldehydes from alkenes1,2. Regioselective hydroformylation of propene to high-value n-butanal is particularly important, owing to a wide range of bulk applications of n-butanal in the manufacture of various necessities in human daily life3. Supported rhodium (Rh) hydroformylation catalysts, which often excel in catalyst recyclability, ease of separation and adaptability for continuous-flow processes, have been greatly exploited4. Nonetheless, they usually consist of rotationally flexible and sterically unconstrained Rh hydride dicarbonyl centres, only affording limited regioselectivity to n-butanal5–8. Here we show that proper encapsulation of Rh species comprising Rh(I)-gem-dicarbonyl centres within a MEL zeolite framework allows the breaking of the above model. The optimized catalyst exhibits more than 99% regioselectivity to n-butanal and more than 99% selectivity to aldehydes at a product formation turnover frequency (TOF) of 6,500 h−1, surpassing the performance of all heterogeneous and most homogeneous catalysts developed so far. Our comprehensive studies show that the zeolite framework can act as a scaffold to steer the reaction pathway of the intermediates confined in the space between the zeolite framework and Rh centres towards the exclusive formation of n-butanal.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07342-y

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