Ligands for use with catalyst compositions used in hydroformylation reactions are described herein. The ligands are used with various octofluorotoluene or hydrocarbon solvents and achieve an increase in isoselectivity with an increase in temperature, an increase in TON with an increase in temperature, and/or will show isoselectivity that is surprisingly high in comparison to the hydroformylation reactions using common solvents.

The invention relates to oligomerization of olefins, such as ethylene, to higher olefins, such as a mixture of 1-hexene and 1-octene, using a catalyst system that comprises a) a source of chromium b) one or more activators and c) a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound. Additionally, the invention relates to a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound and a process for making said compound.

The invention relates to monocarbonyl complexes of ruthenium and osmium with bi- and tridentate nitrogen and phosphine ligands. The invention relates to methods for preparing these complexes and the use of these complexes, isolated or prepared in situ, as catalysts for reduction reactions of ketones and aldehydes both via transfer hydrogenation or hydrogenation with hydrogen.

Metal complexes such as those of formula (I) are contemplated by the present invention. The metal complexes may be used in catalytic reactions as a catalyst. The catalytic reaction may be an autotransfer process, for example hydrogen borrowing.

##STR00001##

Ligands for use with catalyst compositions used in hydroformylation reactions are described herein. The ligands are used with various octofluorotoluene or hydrocarbon solvents and achieve an increase in isoselectivity with an increase in temperature, an increase in TON with an increase in temperature, and/or will show isoselectivity that is surprisingly high in comparison to the hydroformylation reactions using common solvents.

The invention relates to oligomerization of olefins, such as ethylene, to higher olefins, such as a mixture of 1-hexene and 1-octene, using a catalyst system that comprises a) a source of chromium b) one or more activators and c) a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound. Additionally, the invention relates to a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound and a process for making said compound.

The present invention relates to a method for efficiently producing a ruthenium complex (1.sup.A) by reacting a dinuclear ruthenium complex (2.sup.A) with a compound (3.sup.A) in the presence of a primary alcohol and a base. The ruthenium complex (1.sup.A) can also be efficiently produced by treating a dinuclear ruthenium complex (4.sup.A) with a primary alcohol and a base. (In the formulas, solid lines, triple lines, broken lines, C, H, N, OP, Ru, X, AH and R.sup.1 to R.sup.12 have the meanings defined in the specification.)

##STR00001##

The present invention relates to a method for the reductive amination of a carbonyl compound, comprising one or more carbonyl groups amenable to reductive amination, forming the corresponding primary amine, characterized in that the reaction is carried out in the presence of a homogeneously dissolved catalyst complex K, comprising at least one metal atom from Group 8, 9 or 10 of the periodic table, bearing a bidentate phosphane ligand, a carbonyl ligand, a neutral ligand and a hydride ligand, and also an acid as co-catalyst.

Catalytic process for preparing an ,-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid salt, comprising reacting an alkene and carbon dioxide in the presence of a carboxylation catalyst and releasing the ,-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid salt with a base, the carboxylation catalyst being a transition metal complex, which comprises a structurally constrained bidentate P,X ligand, wherein X is selected from the group consisting of P, N, O, and carbene, the P and X atom are separated by 2 to 4 bridging atoms, and wherein the bridging atoms are part of at least one 5- to 7-membered cyclic substructure. A further catalytic processes for preparing ,ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid derivatives from CO.sub.2 and an alkene is provided.

The invention relates to oligomerization of olefins, such as ethylene, to higher olefins, such as a mixture of 1-hexene and 1-octene, using a catalyst system that comprises a) a source of chromium b) one or more activators and c) a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound. Additionally, the invention relates to a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound and a process for making said compound.