Abstract

In this lecture, some recent advances in organic synthesis enabled by continuous-flow methods will be described. In particular, sequential-flow synthesis (multi-step continuous-flow synthesis) of complex organic molecules, such as natural products and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), with achiral and chiral heterogeneous catalysts will be highlighted.

Continuous-flow systems can be classified into four different types. All reagents are continuously fed into the flow reactor (Type I); the uses of immobilized reagents packed into the flow reactor (Type II); flow reactions in the presence of homogeneous catalysts (Type III); flow reactions with heterogeneous catalysts (Type IV). Among them, Type IV provides ideal flow reactions and the use of Type IV flow reactions in natural products and API syntheses will be discussed.