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Abstract

This study presents the transformation of olefins to branched amines by combining a hydroformylation/aldol condensation tandem reaction with the reductive amination in a combined multiphase system that can be recycled 9 times. The products are branched amines that are precursors for surfactants. Since the multiphase hydrofomylation/aldol condensation system has already been studied, the first step was to develop the partial hydrogenation of unsaturated aldehydes together with a subsequent reductive amination. The rhodium/phosphine catalyst is immobilized in a polar polyethylene phase which separates from the product phase after the reaction. Reaction and catalyst recycling are demonstrated by the conversion of the C-14-aldehyde 2-pentylnonenal with the dimethylamine surrogate dimethylammonium dimethylcarbamate to the corresponding tertiary amine with yields up to 88 % and an average rhodium leaching of less than 0.1 % per recycling run. Furthermore, the positive influence of a Bronsted acid and carbon monoxide on the selectivity are discussed. Finally, the two PEG based systems have been merged in one recycling approach, by using the product phase of the hydroformylation aldol condensation reaction for the reductive amination reaction. The yields are stable during a nine recycling runs and the leaching low with 0.09 % over the two recycling stages.