Effective Application of Microwave Resonant Cavity System to Flow Chemistry.

By applying advanced telecommunication solid state devices to microwave (MW) resonant cavity system for flow chemistry, it becomes possible to heat up low polarity solvents higher than 250 C, that are considered impossible to heat up by MW until now. The resonant cavity system is opening new process windows to production processes of specialty chemicals which require low cost, high yield and high productivity.

Selective, Scalable Synthesis of C60-Fullerene/Indene Monoadducts Using a Microwave Flow Applicator.

The synergy of continuous processing and microwave heating technologies has unlocked scalable (g/h), safe and efficient reaction conditions for synthesis of fullerene/indene-based organic photovoltaic acceptor materials in a nonchlorinated solvent with levels of productivity unparalleled by previous syntheses. The microwave flow reactor sustains high temperature while employing short residence times, reaction conditions which uniquely allow the selective synthesis of fullerene/indene monoadducts. Design of experiments analysis revealed residence time as the most crucial factor for conversion and selectivity control.

C-Alkylation of N-alkylamides with styrenes in air and scale-up using a microwave flow reactor.

C-Alkylation of N-alkylamides with styrenes is reported, proceeding in ambient air/moisture to give arylbutanamides and pharmaceutically-relevant scaffolds in excellent mass balance. Various amide and styrene derivatives were tolerated, rapidly affording molecular complexity in a single step; thus highlighting the future utility of this transformation in the synthetic chemistry toolbox. Reaction scalability (up to 65 g h-1 product) was demonstrated using a Microwave Flow reactor, as the first example of a C-alkylation reaction using styrenes in continuous flow.