Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026
13:09
Utilization of Stop-flow Micro-tubing Reactors for the Development of Organic Transformations
Published on: January 4, 2018
39.8K
Accelerated gas-liquid visible light photoredox catalysis with continuous-flow photochemical microreactors
Natan J W Straathof1, Yuanhai Su1, Volker Hessel1
1Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Micro Flow Chemistry and Process Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
Nature Protocols
|December 4, 2015
Summary
We developed a simple, inexpensive photochemical microreactor for visible light photoredox catalysis. This microreactor enables rapid, continuous-flow synthesis of valuable organic compounds, significantly reducing reaction times compared to batch methods.
Area of Science:
- Organic Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering
- Photochemistry
Background:
- Photoredox catalysis offers a powerful route for chemical synthesis.
- Gas-liquid reactions present challenges in mass transfer and efficiency.
- Batch photochemical processes can be time-consuming and less efficient.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the construction and application of a novel photochemical microreactor.
- To enable efficient gas-liquid photoredox catalysis using visible light.
- To provide a simple, modular, and cost-effective setup for continuous-flow synthesis.
Main Methods:
- Construction of a modular, inexpensive photochemical microreactor from commercial parts.
- Setup of continuous-flow system with inlets for gaseous and liquid reagents.
- Application in visible light-mediated photoredox catalysis for specific organic transformations.
Main Results:
- The microreactor can be assembled in under 1 hour, even by non-specialists.
- Continuous-flow synthesis of disulfides, trifluoromethylated heterocycles, and thiols was achieved.
- Reaction times in microflow (minutes) were significantly shorter than batch processes (hours).
- Improved irradiation efficiency and gas-liquid mass transfer in microflow contribute to faster reactions.
Conclusions:
- The developed photochemical microreactor is a versatile and efficient tool for gas-liquid photoredox catalysis.
- This technology offers a simplified, rapid, and cost-effective alternative to traditional batch methods.
- The microreactor facilitates continuous-flow synthesis, enhancing reaction efficiency and reducing reaction times.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Heterogeneous Catalysis
109
Heterogeneous catalysis involves a catalyst in a different phase from the reactants. It is a process where the catalyst and the reactants are in distinct phases, typically solid and gas or liquid.Most heterogeneous catalysts are metals, metal oxides, or acids. The list includes transition metals like iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), tungsten (W), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu). These metals possess partially vacant d orbitals that...
109
01:26Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview
3.2K
Electrocyclic reactions are reversible reactions. They involve an intramolecular cyclization or ring-opening of a conjugated polyene. Shown below are two examples of electrocyclic reactions. In the first reaction, the formation of the cyclic product is favored. In contrast, in the second reaction, ring-opening is favored due to the high ring strain associated with cyclobutene formation.
3.2K
02:13Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
14.9K
Alkenes undergo reduction by the addition of molecular hydrogen to give alkanes. Because the process generally occurs in the presence of a transition-metal catalyst, the reaction is called catalytic hydrogenation.
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the...
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the...
14.9K
01:24Redox Reactions
59.4K
Oxidation-reduction or redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons from one molecule or atom to another. When an atom gains an electron, another atom must lose an electron, meaning oxidation and reduction must occur together. Since the redox occurs in pairs, the atom that gets oxidized is also called the reducing agent or reductant, and the atom that is reduced is also called the oxidizing agent or oxidant. A straightforward way to remember the definitions of oxidation and reduction is...
59.4K
02:50Catalysis
32.2K
The presence of a catalyst affects the rate of a chemical reaction. A catalyst is a substance that can increase the reaction rate without being consumed during the process. A basic comprehension of a catalysts’ role during chemical reactions can be understood from the concept of reaction mechanisms and energy diagrams.
32.2K
01:29The Photochemical Reaction Center
5.9K
Reaction centers are pigment-protein complexes that initiate energy conversion from photons to chemical entities. Therefore, photochemical reaction center is a more appropriate term that describes these complexes. The Nobel laureates Robert Emerson and William Arnold provided the first experimental evidence of photochemical reaction centers by demonstrating the participation of nearly 2,500 chlorophyll molecules for the release of just one molecule of oxygen. Despite thousands of photosynthetic...
5.9K