US005763671A  United  States  Patent  [19]  Bryant  et al.  [lll  Patent  Number:  5,763,671  [45]  Date  of  Patent:  *Jun.  9,  1998  [54]  HYDROFORMYLATION  PROCESSES  [75]  Inventors:  David  Robert  Bryant,  South  Charleston;  James  Clair  Nicholson,  Saint  Albans,  both  of  W. Va.  [73]  Assignee:  Union  Carbide  Chemicals  &  Plastics  Technology  Corporation.  Danbury.  Conn.  [ * ]  Notice:  The term  of this  patent  shall  not  extend  beyond  the  expiration  date  of  Pat.  No.  5,741.944.  [21]  Appl.  No.:  757,742  [22]  Filed:  Nov.  26, 1996  [60]  Provisional  application  Nos.  60/008,289  Dec.  6,  1995,  60/008,763  Dec. 6,  1995,  60/008,284  Dec.  6,  1995,  and  60/008,286  Dec. 6,  1995.  [51]  Int. Cl. 6  .....................................................  C07C  45/50  [52]  U.S.  Cl . .............................................  568/454;  568/451  [58]  Field of  Search  ......................................  568/451.  454  [56]  References  Cited  Related  U.S.  Application  Data  U.S.  PATENT  DOCUMENfS  20  Claims,  1  Drawing  Sheet  FOREIGN  PATENT  DOCUMENTS  [57]  ABSTRACT  3,555,098  1/1971  Olivier  et  al ..  Primary  Examiner-Gary  Geist  Assistant  Examiner-S.  Padmanabhan  Attorney,  Agent,  or  Finn-Gerald  L.  Coon  This  invention  relates  to a  process  for  separating  one or  more  phosphorus  acidic  compounds  from  a  hydroformylation  reaction  product  fluid  containing  said one  or  more  phospho› rus  acidic  compounds.  a  metal-organophosphite  ligand  com› plex  catalyst  and  optionally  free  organophosphite  ligand  which  process  comprises  (a)  treating  said  hydroformylation  reaction  product  fluid  with water  sufficient  to  remove  at  least  some  amount  of said  one or  more  phosphorus  acidic  com› pounds  from  said  hydroformylation  reaction  product  fluid  and  (b)  treating  the water  which  contains  phosphorus  acidic  compounds  removed  from  said  hydroformylation  reaction  product  fluid  with  an acid  removal  substance  sufficient  to  remove  at  least  some  amount  of said  one or  more  phospho› rus  acidic  compounds  from  said water.  4,835,299  5/1989  Maher  et  al  ..............................  558/85  5,288,918  2/1994  Maher  et  al  ............................  568/454  0009150  4/1980  European  Pat. Off  ..  0214622  3/1987  European  Pat. Off  ..  0285136  10/1988  European  Pat. Off  .. 