How flow chemistry can make processes greener.. Case study 1 Methylation with DMC.

How flow chemistry can make processes greener

Case study 1 Methylation with DMC.

Increasing reaction efficiency through access to a wider range of reaction conditions

Efficient utilization of energy and time is fundamental to green chemistry and engineering. These factors are directly related to the rate of a chemical reaction, as a fast reaction will require less operating time. Economical use of space is also important, and fast reactions may allow for a smaller reactor to be utilized, particularly in continuous processes. The most straightforward way to increase reaction rate is with an increase in temperature; however, in a batch reactor, this is generally limited to the atmospheric boiling point of the solvent or reagents. In a flow reactor, pressure and temperature can be safely manipulated far beyond atmospheric conditions. Analogous to microwaves synthesis,¹ reactions done in flow are often faster than in the corresponding batch reactions, which gives…