Magnetically Separable Fe3O4 Supported Co-Rh Bimetallic Catalysts for Dicyclopentadiene Hydroformylation to Value-Added Fine Chemicals

A series of magnetically separable catalysts based on Co-Rh bimetallic compounds supported on Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared via co-precipitation method. These catalysts were tested for dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) hydroformylation reactions, achieving >98% monoformyltricyclodecenes (MFTD) selectivity at >99% DCPD conversion under mild conditions, and >90% diformyltricyclodecanes (DFTD) selectivity at >99% DCPD conversion under escalated reaction temperature and pressure. The catalyst could be easily recovered using the magnetic property of the iron oxide support. The catalysts were characterized with various methods including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, temperature-programmed reduction, temperature-programmed desorption and FTIR. These complimentary characterization results suggested that the superior catalytic activity may be derived from the delicate synergy between Rh, Co and Fe species, with a catalytically active site being proposed as a multi-component Co-Rh-COx-(PPh3)(y) complex.