US Patent 7858787 Process for producing olefins

A process for converting an olefin having x carbon atoms into an olefin having x+1 carbon atoms wherein the process comprises the steps of:(i) reacting an olefin having x carbon atoms with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a hydroformylation catalyst to produce an alcohol having x+1 carbon atoms, and(ii) dehydrating the alcohol produced in step (i) in the presence of a dehydration catalyst to produce an olefin having x+1 carbon atomscharacterized in that the hydroformylation catalyst used in step (i) is based on:(a) a source of cobalt, and(b) a ligand which contains phosphorus and nitrogen.