How does the oxo process use a cobalt carbonyl catalyst to make aldehydes and alcohols?

The oxo process, also known as hydroformylation, is an industrial method used to synthesize aldehydes by adding carbon monoxide and hydrogen to an alkene.12

The Role of Cobalt Carbonyl

The process utilizes a homogeneous catalyst containing a transition metal, typically based on cobalt carbonyls such as octacarbonyldicobalt (${\text{Co}}_2(\text{CO}{)}_8$). Within the reaction mixture, hydrogen reacts with ${\text{Co}}_2(\text{CO}{)}_8$ to form the active catalytic species, hydrogen tetracarbonylcobaltate (${\text{HCo(CO)}}_4$). This complex facilitates the addition of carbon monoxide and hydrogen across the double bond of the alkene, resulting in an aldehyde that contains one additional carbon atom compared to the starting material.341

Production of Alcohols

While the primary product of the oxo process is an aldehyde, these compounds are frequently subjected to further hydrogenation to produce alcohols. These resulting alcohols are widely utilized in the petrochemical industry for the synthesis of detergents, plasticizers, and various solvents.12