Process for the carbonylation of ethylenically unsaturated compounds and bidentate diphosphine composition used in this process

[0111] The experiment was carried out in a 250 ml magnetically stirred Hastelloy C autoclave (Hastelloy is a trademark). The autoclave was charged with 10 ml of propene, 40 ml anisole and 10 ml sulfolane, 0.25 mmol of platinum(II) acetylacetonate, 0.3 mmol of 1,2-PP′bis(9-phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonyl)ethane with a purity of >99%, 0.3 mmol SnCl2 and 0.3 mmol HCl. After being flushed, the autoclave was pressurised with carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a partial pressure of 3000 kPa (30 bar) of each. Subsequently, the reactor was sealed and the contents were heated to 115° C. and maintained at that temperature for 1.5 hours. After cooling, a sample was taken from the contents of the reactor and analysed by Gas Liquid Chromatography. The selectivity towards the linear product n-butyraldehyde was 98.6%.

[0112] The experiment was carried out in a 250 ml magnetically stirred Hastelloy C autoclave. The autoclave was charged with 10 ml of propene, 40 ml anisole and 10 ml sulfolane, 0.25 mmol of platinum(II) acetylacetonate, 0.3 mmol of 1,3-PP′bis(9-phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonyl)-propane with a purity of >99%, 0.3 mmol SnCl2 and 0.3 mmol HCl. After being flushed, the autoclave was pressurised with carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a partial pressure of 3000 kPa (30 bar) of each. Subsequently, the reactor was sealed and the contents were heated to 115° C. and maintained at that temperature for 1.5 hours. After cooling, a sample was taken from the contents of the reactor and analysed by Gas Liquid Chromatography. The selectivity towards the linear product n-butyraldehyde was 90.8%.

[0113] The example was carried out in a 250 ml magnetically stirred Hastelloy C autoclave. The autoclave was charged with 10 ml of propene, 40 ml anisole and 10 ml sulfolane, 0.25 mmol of platinum(II) acetylacetonate, 0.3 mmol of meso (R,S) 2,3-PP′bis(9-phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonyl)butane with a purity of >99% by weight, 0.3 mmol SnCl2 and 0.3 mmol HCl. After being flushed, the autoclave was pressurised with carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a partial pressure of 3000 kPa (30 bar) of each. Subsequently, the reactor was sealed and the contents were heated to 100° C. and maintained at that temperature until the reaction was substantially complete. Complete propene conversion occurred in 0.5 hr. After cooling, a sample was taken from the contents of the reactor and analysed by Gas Liquid Chromatography. The selectivity towards the linear product n-butyraldehyde was 99.0%.