Abstract

Novel Applications in Lab Scale Continuous Electrochemistry and New Innovations in Scale-Up

Andrew Mansfield, Flow Chemistry Leader, Syrris

Flow chemistry is a well-established tool for laboratory scale reactions that demonstrates a range of advantages over traditional batch scale conditions. Many recent developments in lab scale flow chemistry technology have focussed on innovative activation/control of chemical reactions, namely: Electrochemistry, Photochemistry, Ultrasound, Ultra high temperatures and pressures, Ultra low temperatures and Automation. Electrochemistry is a significant area of research and has the potential to enable traditionally difficult reactions to be more easily achieved. Electrochemistry enables the unique activation of reagents enabling selectivity and transformations not possible by other techniques and a potential for the reduction in the quantities of toxic and hazardous oxidizing/reducing reagents used. Continuous electrochemistry has many applications from the oxidative synthesis of drug metabolites to rapid oxidation and reduction reactions (even up to 6 electron oxidation). This presentation will focus on some novel applications utilizing continuous electrochemistry. The electrochemical synthesis of the natural product, Nazlinine is shown. This synthesis shows some unique multi-step approaches to obtain a synthetic route that utilises both batch microwave and flow electrochemistry in combination. The synthesis of drug metabolites currently presents problems due to difficult synthetic routes which may be time-consuming in batch conditions. By utilising electrochemistry in flow, this issue can be overcome. The presentation highlights the synthesis of a number of well-known drug metabolites including Diclofenac, Tolbutamide, Primidone,Albendazole and Chloropromazine. The presentation will conclude with a review of some of the technical challenges still faced in flow chemistry and hope to provide an insight into some technical solutions.