Kumada-Corriu reactions in a pressure-driven microflow reactor

Area of Science:

• Organic Chemistry
• Chemical Engineering
• Catalysis

Background:

• The Kumada coupling is a vital cross-coupling reaction.
• Immobilised nickel(II) catalysts offer advantages in catalyst recovery and reuse.
• Conventional batch reactions can be limited by mass transfer and heat dissipation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of microreactor technology on Kumada reaction rates.
• To compare the efficiency of pressure-driven microreactors with batch processing.
• To evaluate the performance of an immobilised nickel(II) catalyst in flow chemistry.

Main Methods:

• Utilisation of a pressure-driven microreactor with internal diameters of 100-200 micrometers.
• Employment of Grignard reagents and aryl halides as substrates.
• Catalysis using an immobilised nickel(II) complex.
• Comparison of reaction kinetics with conventional batch reaction setups.

Main Results:

• Significantly enhanced reaction rates were observed in the microreactor.
• The pressure-driven flow system facilitated improved mass and heat transfer.
• The immobilised nickel(II) catalyst demonstrated high activity and stability in the microreactor.

Conclusions:

• Microreactor technology, particularly pressure-driven systems, can substantially accelerate the Kumada reaction.
• Flow chemistry offers a more efficient alternative to batch processing for this catalytic coupling.
• Immobilised nickel(II) catalysts are well-suited for microreactor applications, enabling faster and potentially greener chemical synthesis.