A New Spin on Photocatalysis: Vortex Fluidic-Driven Photooxidations Enabled by Solution-Processable Microporous...

Area of Science:

• Photochemistry
• Polymer Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIM) incorporating Benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (BTZ) are effective for visible light photocatalysis.
• PIM-BTZ materials facilitate both energy and single-electron transfer reactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply novel PIM-BTZ polymers as a reactive coating within a Vortex Fluidic Device (VFD).
• To investigate the synergistic effects of VFD's mass transfer and PIM-BTZ photochemistry on organic reactions.
• To demonstrate continuous flow photocatalysis with enhanced productivity.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of new PIM-BTZ polymers using commercially available monomers.
• Application of PIM-BTZ as a coating on the Vortex Fluidic Device (VFD).
• Evaluation of reaction rates and productivity for photooxidation of triphenylphosphine in continuous flow versus batch mode.

Main Results:

• The PIM-BTZ coated VFD synergistically accelerated reactions involving singlet oxygen and superoxide species.
• Continuous flow operation in the VFD enabled efficient synthesis.
• Productivity increased from 15.0 mg h⁻¹ in batch mode to 126.4 mg h⁻¹ in continuous flow mode for triphenylphosphine photooxidation.

Conclusions:

• The PIM-BTZ coated VFD is a highly effective system for continuous flow photocatalysis.
• This approach offers a scalable and robust method for photochemical synthesis.
• The combination of VFD technology and PIM-BTZ materials significantly enhances reaction efficiency and productivity.