Web Release Date: June 27,
Mesoscale Flow Chemistry: A Plug-Flow Approach to Reaction Optimisation
GlaxoSmithKline, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage SG1 2NI, United Kingdom
Received for review March 26, 2007.

Abstract:
In recent years, chemistry in flowing systems has become more prominent as a method of carrying out chemical transformations, ranging in scale from analytical-scale (microchemistry) through to kilogram-scale synthesis (macrochemistry). The advantages are readily apparent-increased control of conditions leading to greater reproducibility, scaleability, and increased safety/reduced loss-although its acceptance as a viable synthesis technique has been limited due to its drawbacks, primarily precipitation, liquid handling, and diffusion of the reaction within the reactor. Here, we present details of a system which bridges the gap between micro- and macroreactors and has enabled fast reaction optimisation (using small amounts of reagents) and subsequent multigram scale-up using a commercial reactor.
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