This article provides a comprehensive overview of the global landscape of industrial hydroformylation technology providers and their associated processes. The key points are as follows:

1. Overall Landscape: The global industrial hydroformylation process technology is highly concentrated, primarily mastered by large international chemical corporations and licensors, with a stronghold by European and American companies for the production of monohydric alcohols (like butanol, octanol, and isononanol).

1. Major Technology Providers and Characteristics:

   • Key Players: The Davy Process Technology and Dow Chemical joint venture, Germany’s BASF, and the U.S.’s ExxonMobil are significant technology holders.
   • Licensing Models: Providers have different policies: some allow technology transfer (e.g., Davy/Dow, Eastman, Mitsubishi), some only license via joint ventures (e.g., BASF, Oman, Evonik), and one does not transfer its technology (ExxonMobil).

1. Technology Distribution by Product Chain:

   • Hydroformylation of Mono-olefins: Primarily for producing monohydric alcohols. Multiple companies possess the technology, with Davy/Dow and ExxonMobil capable of producing nearly the full range of linear alcohols.
   • Lower Olefins:

     • Butanol/Octanol (Butyraldehyde Process): The core process involves propylene hydroformylation. The Davy/Dow technology is the most widely licensed globally. Process selectivities are similar; the main differences lie in reactor and flow-sheet design.
     • 2-Propylheptanol: Production follows a process similar to isooctanol. Key licensors include BASF and Eastman.

   • Higher Olefins:

     • Isononanal/Isononanol: Technologies are divided into low-branched and high-branched types. Low-branched technology is held by BASF, ExxonMobil, Davy/Dow, etc.; high-branched technology is mainly owned by Japan’s Kyowa Hakko. The article cites BASF’s joint venture in Maoming and Qixiang Tengda’s planned project as application examples.
     • Catalyst Differences: For long-chain olefin hydroformylation, most licensors use cobalt-based catalysts requiring harsh conditions, while Davy/Dow employs a ligand-free rhodium catalyst, enabling milder reaction conditions.

   • 1,4-Butanediol (1,4-BDO):

     • The hydroformylation route for BDO is mainly controlled by LyondellBasell​ (originally from Kuraray) and Taiwan’s Dairen Chemical.
     • Their processes differ in the initial method for producing allyl alcohol, the key intermediate. However, the competitiveness of this route has been challenged by the rapid expansion of the lower-cost acetylene-based (Reppe) process, particularly in China.