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Rhodium catalysed hydroformylation of unsaturated esters has been studied. A pronounced temperature dependence was observed on the regioselectivity and catalytic activity for these reactions, and under the appropriate conditions, it is possible to obtain preferentially either linear or quaternary products. A quaternary selective hydroformylation of methyl atropate to give 1,3-aldehydic esters has also been developed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Phospholane-phosphites are known to show highly unusual selectivity towards branched aldehydes in the hydroformylation of terminal alkenes. This paper describes the synthesis of hitherto unknown unsaturated phospholene borane precursors and their conversion to the corresponding phospholene-phosphites. The relative stereochemistry of one of these ligands and its Pd complex was assigned with the aid of X-ray crystal structure determinations. These ligands were able to approach the level of selectivity observed for phospholane-phosphites in the rhodium-catalysed hydroformylation of propene. High-pressure infra-red (HPIR) spectroscopic monitoring of the catalyst formation revealed that whilst the catalysts showed good thermal stability with respect to fragmentation, the C=C bond in the phospholene moiety was slowly hydrogenated in the presence of rhodium and syngas. The ability of this spectroscopic tool to detect even subtle changes in structure, remotely from the carbonyl ligands, underlines the usefulness of HPIR spectroscopy in hydroformylation catalyst development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]