Hydroformylation, also known as
oxo synthesis or
oxo process, is an important
homogeneously catalyzed industrial process for the production of
aldehydes from
alkenes. This chemical reaction entails the addition of a
formyl group (CHO) and a
hydrogen atom to a carbon-carbon double bond. This process has undergone continuous growth since its invention in 1938: Production capacity reached 6.6×10
6 tons in 1995. It is important because the resulting aldehydes are easily converted into many secondary products. For example, the resulting aldehydes are hydrogenated to
alcohols that are converted to
plasticizers or
detergents. Hydroformylation is also used in
specialty chemicals, relevant to the
organic synthesis of
fragrances and natural products. The development of hydroformylation, which originated within the German coal-based industry, is considered one of the premier achievements of 20th-century industrial
chemistry.