Specifically, a process for controlling heavies in a recycle catalyst
stream for use in a continuous
hydroformylation process in which olefins are converted with synthesis gas in the presence of a
hydroformylation catalyst to form an
aldehyde product
stream, followed by separation of the catalyst for recycle to the
hydroformylation step, comprises removing a crude product
stream from a hydroformylation
reaction zone, the crude product stream comprising one or more
aldehyde products, one or more heavy by-products, a
transition metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, one or more unconverted reactants, and one or more
inert lights; providing a water stream; combining the water stream with the crude product stream into an azeotropic
vaporizer; removing from the
vaporizer an overhead gas stream comprising the one or more
aldehyde products, the one or more unconverted reactants, the one or more
inert lights, a portion of the water, and a portion of the heavy by-products; a liquid recycle catalyst stream to be sent to the
reaction zone, the liquid recycle catalyst stream comprising the
transition metal-organophosphorus ligand complex catalyst, a remainder of the aldehyde product, and a remainder of the heavy by-products, as a residue stream from the azeotropic
vaporizer, wherein at least 25% of the aldehyde product recovered in the overhead gas stream from the condenser is removed as a water
azeotrope.