Rhodium thiolate hydroformylation complexes tethered to delamellated γ-zirconium phosphate

Abstract

Rhodium thiolate complexes intercalated in crystalline γ-zirconium phosphate or tethered to SiO₂-modified γ-zirconium phosphate have been synthesised. It was observed that the addition of a solution of organic silicates to a colloidal suspension of γ-zirconium phosphate yielded amorphous substrates, which displayed very high specific areas (160–650 m² g⁻¹). Incorporation of a mercaptocarbonyl rhodium complex resulted in a highly selective and active catalyst precursor for the hydroformylation of 1-heptene in the liquid phase. Elemental analysis and photoelectron spectroscopy of the fresh and used samples revealed that some metal leaching occurs during the reaction, this being mainly confined to the outer layers of the solid particles. This observation, together with the high selectivity towards linear aldehydes, makes SiO₂-modified γ-zirconium phosphate a good support candidate for immobilised Rh catalysts. Spectroscopic data obtained from the crystalline precursor and also from the amorphous catalyst showed that the interaction between the rhodium complex and the acid support was achieved ia hydrogen bonds, forming NH groups.