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Updated: Sep 19, 2025

Continuous Flow Chemistry: Reaction of Diphenyldiazomethane with p-Nitrobenzoic Acid
Published on: November 15, 2017
An enzymatic process of the Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction in a microflow system
Shuzhan Wang1, Rui Zhang1, Qianxi Zhou1
1College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu Rd S., Nanjing, 211816, China. fzcpu@njtech.edu.cn.
Abstract:
A green and efficient method for the Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction has been developed in a microflow system. A Novozym 435-catalyzed MBH reaction is reported, wherein the co-catalyst nicotinamide was employed to enhance the catalytic efficiency. The reaction was carried out under mild conditions, yielding the target product in up to 67% yield within 16 minutes. Although enantioselectivity was not observed with Novozym 435, this method provides an industrially relevant, practical, and efficient recyclable strategy, in which lipase replaces chemical catalysts, and a scale-up experiment was successfully completed in a microflow system.
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