Continuous flow homogeneous catalysis: hydroformylation of alkenes in supercritical fluid-ionic liquid biphasic mixtures

Rhodium complexes of [1-propyl-3-methylimidazolium](2) [PhP(C6H4SO3-3)(2)] dissolved in the ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate catalyse the hydroformylation of oct-1-ene at a constant rate for > 20 h in a continuous flow process in which the substrate, gases and products are transported in and out of the reactor dissolved in scCO(2); <1 ppm rhodium is present in the collected product.