Hydrogenation of 2-Ethylhexenal Using Thermoregulated Phase-Transfer Catalyst for Production of 2-Ethylhexanol

The hydrogenation of 2-ethylhexenal was investigated in the presence of thermoregulated phase-transfer catalysts to produce 2-ethylhexanol. The thermoregulated catalytic system Pd/IV (IV: P-ligand, tri(methoxyl polyethylene glycol)-phosphite) was an efficient catalyst for the hydrogenation, and the conversion of 2-ethylhexenal and the selectivity of 2-ethylhexanol were 96.9% and 95.5%, respectively, when the reaction was carried out at 220 degrees C for 8 h. The product was easily separated from the catalytic system and the reusability of the separated catalyst was good. It was also found that the steric resistance of the P-ligand affected the performance of the catalytic system.