Abstract

Closing Keynote: Toward Continuous Production of Fine Chemicals Using Flow Fine Synthesis - Synthetic Strategies Based on Continuous-Flow Methods

Shu Kobayashi, Professor, The University of Tokyo

As a synthetic method, flow processes have several advantages over batch in terms of environmental compatibility, efficiency, and safety. Wastes derived from work-up processes can be minimized or omitted altogether by performing organic transformations in flow. Equipment for chemical manufacturing can be designed to be smaller, which would enable significant savings in space and costs. In addition, the differences between batch and flow reactors, which are the large surface to volume ratios and the rapid mixing/quenching of reagents, should make chemical productions safer and more efficient. While continuous-flow practices have been adopted in the petrochemical and bulk chemical industries, its application in fine chemical production is limited. It was believed that synthesis by flow methods could be applicable for the production of simple gasses such as ammonia, but was difficult to apply to the preparation of complex molecules such as active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). This lecture will discuss recent advances in organic synthesis enabled by continuous-flow methods. In particular, the development of heterogeneous catalysts in multi-step continuous-flow reactions (sequential-flow reactions) for the synthesis of complex organic molecules will be highlighted.