Revisiting the Preparation and Catalytic Performance of a Phosphine-Modified Co(II) Hydroformylation Precatalyst.

In light of recent conflicting reports regarding the hydroformylation catalytic activity derived from cationic Co(II) precatalysts of the form [Co(acac)(bis(phosphine))]BF, the synthetic procedures and characterization of [Co(acac)(dppBz)]BF, , are evaluated. Leveraging calibrated ESI-TOF MS methodologies, substantial quantities of Co(acac)(dppBz), , were observed within samples of . The source of the impurity, , is determined to derive from incomplete protonolysis of the Co(acac) precursor and ligand scrambling occurring during the synthesis of .