Microstructured reactor for electroorganic synthesis

Abstract

In the present work a brief overview of microstructured devices, the advantages and disadvantages as well as the principles of a multiscale design approach are presented. The advantages mainly comprise uniform current density distribution, local control of the process parameters, high single-pass conversion of the reactant and reduced concentration of the supporting electrolyte needed to perform the reaction. The main challenge with this type of cell is gas evolution, a typical reaction taking place at the counter-electrode. The phenomena discussed are documented using the example of anodic methoxylation of 4-methylanisole. An analysis was made of the two-phase flow hydrodynamics inside the microstructured cell. The range of operational conditions suitable for the desired reaction was identified. The results were used together with the information on the electrode reaction kinetics in the form of the Butler–Volmer-type equation for the design of a suitable bipolar microstructured cell. A bipolar cell optimized to perform the desired reaction is reported. The results are compared with the published data. An analysis was performed that proved that the performance of the existing technology is more demanding in terms of energy consumption for the separation of the final product from the reaction mixture. The process intensification was evaluated on the basis of the available data.