One-Pot, selective hydroformylation, condensation, and hydrogenation processes by a sol-gel entrapped rhodium complex, an immobilized base, and an ionic liquid

Abstract

We report on a one-pot, multistep process in which styrene derivatives are selectively hydroformylated to give branched aldehydes, which in turn, are condensed with reactive methylene compounds (malononitrile, ethyl cyanoacetate), and then hydrogenaled. The process takes place at. 80 °C under 20.7 bar H2 and 20.7 bar CO in the presence of [Rh(cod)Cl]2 and Na[Ph2P-3-(C6H4SO3)], which have been co-entrapped within ionic liquid confined silica sol-gel together with a separately encaged base. The catalyst can be reused at least four times, but the base has to be renewed after each run. © Wiley-VCIT Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.