An Industrial Perspective on Carbonylation Reactions
Abstract
Carbonylations, in particular hydroformylation and alkoxycarbonylation, are among the most important reactions in industrial organic chemistry and form the basis for production processes on a typical capacity scale of 100,000 mt/y. The catalyst system used is fundamental to the economy of such processes, and the metal and ligands employed play a decisive role here. The economic determinants are discussed quantitatively for hydroformylation as an example. The properties of catalysts are essentially determined by the transition metal used. In the case of hydroformylation, industrial implementation is based on the two metals cobalt and rhodium. The stability of complexes is particularly relevant from a technical point of view. Recent developments in research are outlined using the example of cobalt.1 The fact that novel ligands can form the basis for new process routes is illustrated for methoxycarbonylation.2,3.
References
1. B. Zhang, C. Kubis, R. Franke, Science 2022, 377, 1223-1227.
2. K. Dong, X. Fang, S. Gülak, R. Franke, A. Spannenberg, H. Neumann, R. Jackstell, M. Beller, Nature Communications 2017, 8, 14117.
Biography
Robert Franke studied chemistry at the Ruhr- Universität in Bochum from 1984 to 1990, specializing in industrial chemistry and theoretical chemistry. From 1990 to 1994, he completed his doctorate in theoretical chemistry under Werner Kutzelnigg. He then began his own independent research in the field of theoretical chemistry, which he completed with a habilitation in 2002. In 2011 he was appointed adjunct professor at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum. In 1998, he started in the simulation department of process engineering at the former Hüls AG and subsequently held various positions in research and development. He has been Head of Innovation Management Hydroformylation since 2009. His research focuses on the development of catalysts and processes in the field of carbonylation chemistry, process intensification and computational chemistry. In 2023, he was honored as Evonik Senior Fellow.