Hydrogenation of olefinic substrates in aqueous and aqueous-organic biphase systems using rhodium complex of sulphonated triphenyl phosphine

Water-soluble meta sulphophenyldiphenylphosphine complex of rhodium prepared in situ catalyses the homogeneous hydrogenation of fumaric, maleic and crotonic acids in water and 1:1 water-methanol mixture as solvents. Fumaric acid gives a higher rate of hydrogenation than maleic acid. Rate of hydrogenation also increases on changing the solvent from pure water to 1:1 mixture of methanol and water. Rate law for the reaction has been proposed. © 1991 Indian Academy of Sciences.