Abstract
Microwave technology is changing the way we design and optimize synthetic protocols and their scaling up to multigram production levels. The latest generation of dedicated microwave reactors enables operators to quickly screen reaction conditions by means of parallel tests and select the best catalyst, solvent, and conditions. Pilot scale synthetic procedures require flow-through conditions in microwave flow reactors which can be obtained by adapting classic batch protocols. Microwave-assisted chemical processes play a pivotal role in the design of sustainable multigram preparations which address the double requirement of process intensification and competitive production costs. Although most researchers are likely to be acquainted with the great potential of dielectric heating, the advantages and disadvantages of a particular device or the conditions needed to maximize efficiency and functionality are often overlooked. The double aims of the present review are to provide a panoramic snapshot of commercially available lab microwave reactors and their features as well as highlighting a few selected applications of microwave chemistry of particular relevance.
Highlights
Microwave (MW) technology is a well-established technique in organic, inorganic, medicinal, analytical, and materials chemistry
Pilot scale synthetic procedures require flow-through conditions in microwave flow reactors which can be obtained by adapting classic batch protocols
The use of MW irradiation has become increasingly popular in almost all fields of chemistry research and in particular in MW-assisted organic synthesis (MAOS)
Summary
Microwave (MW) technology is a well-established technique in organic, inorganic, medicinal, analytical, and materials chemistry. The impressive advantages of MW technology have been reported in drug discovery [13], materials science, polymer chemistry [14], nanotechnology [15], organic synthesis, and bioconjugation fields [16]. The market offers two types of MW instrumentations classified as monomode and multimode reactors. R&D departments often need to synthesize compounds on gram/multigram scale for catalytic, toxicological, and biological tests. This can be carried out in multimode reactors. The diffusion of pressurized MW reactors has extended the range of operating temperature, enabling the use of low-boiling organic solvents and reagents. A more recent achievement in MW instrumentation is the single reaction chamber (SRC, 1.5 kW/1.5 L), an innovative device well suited for mg to multigram scale reactions [19, 20]
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