Effect of Liquid–Liquid Interfacial Area on Biphasic Catalysis Exemplified by Hydroformylation

Biphasic catalysis enables the effective recycling of homogeneous catalysts by their immobilization in an additional liquid phase immiscible with products. The introduced liquid–liquid interfacial area implies mass transfer limitations that play important role understanding these catalytic systems, many rate enhancement strategies revolving around optimizing said area. In this contribution, relationship between and activity is elucidated applying a methodology utilizes image-based situ measurement transient droplet size distribution. When industrially highly relevant aqueous biphasic hydroformylation long-chain olefin 1-octene taken as model reaction, it found product nonanal addition ligand increases factor up to 5. conversion depend on stirring speed. By variation catalyst concentration, shown accumulation species at interface unlikely. Using mathematical model, highlighted effect aqueous–organic not linear was previously assumed literature. Instead, change composition proposed causes shift dependence Thus, dynamic physical properties lean gas–liquid–liquid system were linked performance system.