In contrast to most lab-scale batch procedures, a continuous-flow implementation requires a thorough consideration of the solid catalyst design. In a previous study, irregular zeolite pellets were applied in a miniaturized continuous-flow reactor for the Diels-Alder reaction in the construction of norbornene scaffolds. After having faced the challenges of continuous operation, the aim of this study is to exploit catalyst structuring. To this end, microspheres with high uniformity and various sphere diameters were synthesized according to the vibrational droplet coagulation method. The influence of the use of these novel zeolite shapes in a mesoscale continuous-flow Diels-Alder process of cyclopentadiene and methyl acrylate is discussed. An impressive enhancement of catalyst lifetime is demonstrated, as even after a doubled process time of 14 h, the microspheres still exceeded the conversion after 7 h when using zeolite pellets by 30 %. A dual reason is found for this beneficial impact of catalyst shaping. The significant improvement in catalyst longevity can be attributed to the interplay of the chemical composition and the porosity structure of the microspheres.

The unique nucleophilic properties of lithiated methoxyallene allow for C-C bond formation with a wide variety of electrophiles, thus introducing an allenic group for further functionalization. This approach has yielded a tremendously broad range of (hetero)cyclic scaffolds, including precursors to active pharmaceutical ingredients. To date, however, its valorization at scale is hampered by the batch synthesis procedure, which suffers from serious safety issues. Hence, the attractive heat- and mass-transfer properties of flow technology were exploited to establish a mesoscale continuous-flow route toward lithiated methoxyallene. An excellent conversion of 94 % was obtained, corresponding to a methoxyallene throughput of 8.2 g h-1 . The process is characterized by short reaction times, mild reaction conditions and a stoichiometric use of reagents.

The Diels-Alder reaction is universally acknowledged for its atom-efficient and simple access to molecular complexity. This textbook example of a green reaction forms one of the most efficient routes towards six-membered rings. However, a large gap is noticed between the relevance and versatility in the academic world, implying a small scale, and industrial use. Obviously, the current developed Diels-Alder procedures are failing to make their way into industry. This perspective paper will gave a critical overview of the most important bottlenecks of Diels-Alder reactions. Flow chemistry, a key research area for green engineering, is a powerful tool to facilitate a safe transfer of Diels Alder processes to the industrial environment.

The industrial application of the Diels–Alder reaction for the synthesis of (hetero)cyclic compounds constitutes an important challenge. To tackle the reagent instability problems and corresponding safety issues, the use of a high-pressure and zeolite catalysed microreactor process is presented.

Despite extensive research into peptide synthesis, coupling of amino acids with weakly nucleophilic heterocyclic amines remains a challenge. The need for microwave technology to promote this coupling interferes with the scalability of the process. By applying the microwave-to-flow paradigm, a library of (α-aminoacyl)amino-substituted heterocycles was continuously produced at near quantitative conversions and the reaction was scaled up successfully. Various N-Cbz-protected amino acids were activated using BtH/SOCl2 under continuous-flow conditions with excellent yields. Their coupling with heterocyclic amines was accomplished in MeCN-NMP on a preparative scale. However, performing both steps in-line resulted in an inconvenient work-up. Therefore, a two-step approach was taken, isolating the intermediate Bt-activated amino acid via simple filtration. This allows for a solvent switch to DMSO for the coupling reaction which led to excellent conversions for a broad range of substrates.

An efficient continuous-flow procedure for the synthesis of tribromomethylsulfones and tribromomethanesulfonates has been developed starting from the corresponding methylsulfones or methanesulfonates and potassium hypobromite using a biphasic reaction. Two different continuous-flow systems were used and compared for the bromination reaction. Different derivatives were synthesized in excellent isolated yields in very short reaction times using a small excess of potassium hypobromite. Hypobromite can be synthesized continuously leading to the continuous production of the brominated derivates. With the optimized flow conditions, a throughput of up to 53 g/day was obtained. The bromination reaction in flow has significant advantages compared to the corresponding batch process.