A research team involving Evonik and the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT) in germany has claimed a breakthrough in hydroformylation, an important reaction in industrial organic chemistry where unsaturated compounds are converted into aldehydes and alcohols using synthesis gas. This has been published in Science.

Dechema and the German Catalysis Society have awarded the 2022 Otto Roelen Medal to Professor Robert Franke for his work on developing catalytic carbonylation, particularly hydroformylation, from theory to industrial implementation. The award will be made at the society’s AGM in Weimar on 18 June.

Franke is adjunct professor at Ruhr University Bochum and also heads up hydroformylation research at the Evonik Performance Materials site in Marl. His research focuses on homogeneous catalysis, process intensification and the modelling of catalytic processes.