Oxygenates by Homologation or CO Hydrogenation with Metal Complexes

The homogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of CO and the carbonylation and homologation of alcohols and their derivatives emerged nearly 40 years ago, in the USA and Germany. Since that time, the two topics have generally been reviewed separately, with no concern for their common aspects, in terms of both the chemical transformations involved, nor for the catalytic aspects, until Japanese workers, during the National Chemistry Project, which ran from 1980-1987, unified both the scientific and technological approaches in the field. The literature from 1940-1980 has been well reviewed, and so the time is now ripe for a thorough, careful review of work accomplished since then. Under the editorial supervision of Professor Braca, “Oxygenates by Homologation or CO Hydrogenation with Metal Complexes”, presents an authoritative reconsideration and review of research on oxygenate production by CO hydrogenation, and the homologation of alcohols, aldehydes, ethers and esters in the presence of transition metal complexes.
The three chapters of the book, each presenting an overview of its topic, are entitled: Monoalcohols, Glycols and their Ethers and Esters by CO Hydrogenation; Alcohols and Derivatives by Homologation with SynGas; and Hydrocarbonylation of Aldehydes and their Derivatives. The chapters are presented in a common format, outlining the performances of the catalytic systems of different metals, followed by a general discussion of the reaction mechanism along the successive reaction steps, from the activation of the substrates up to their chemical modification and the restoration of the catalysts. Attention is also paid to the problems of stability and deactivation of the catalytic systems and to the difficulties of the industrial development of the reactions.