A new class of cationic alpha-cyclodextrins bearing 2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammoniopropyl groups has been synthesised. We investigated their efficiency as mass-transfer promoters in a biphasic hydroformylation reaction catalysed by a rhodium trisulfonated triphenylphosphine system. These cationic alpha-cyclodextrins greatly increased the reaction rate, the chemoselectivity, and, surprisingly, the linear-to-branched aldehyde ratio. We attributed this unexpected enhancement of the linear-to-branched aldehyde ratio to the in situ formation of new catalytic supramolecular species obtained by ion-exchange between the catalyst ligand and the cationic alpha-cyclodextrins.
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