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Catalytic Approaches in Flow Chemistry
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Catalytic Approaches in Flow Chemistry

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Organic Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 2459

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Graziano Di Carmine

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Guest Editor
Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Interests: organocatalysis; photocatalysis; the immobilization of molecular catalysts; flow chemistry and green chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Alessandro Massi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Interests: flow chemistry; catalysis; green chemistry; microreactors; organic chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Carmela De Risi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Interests: organocatalysis; flow chemistry; microreactors; natural products and green chemistry; organic chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last few decades, flow chemistry has attracted the interest of chemists specializing in organic synthesis for many reasons. In terms of selectivity, performing reactions in continuous flow enables a more precise control of heating and mixing, avoiding the formation of side products due to parasite alternative pathways. Continuous flow apparatus helps to facilitate the optimal control of exothermic reactions as well, making the so-called “run-away reactions” safer than in conventional reactors. Furthermore, continuous flow technology creates build-up reactors with heterogeneous catalysts, which opens the gate to performing reactions in continuous mode in order to increase the turnover number (TON) of processes carried out for industrial and more economical purposes. In the field of photocatalysis, flow chemistry can improve light harvesting due to smaller channel dimensions of the flow reactor. There are many benefits in using catalysis driven by flow chemistry, and this Special Issue aims to collect the latest innovative disclosures on this topic.

Dr. Graziano Di Carmine
Prof. Dr. Alessandro Massi
Dr. Carmela De Risi
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • organocatalysis in continuous flow
  • flow chemistry for the preparation of APIs
  • green technologies in organic synthesis
  • green chemistry
  • organic synthesis
  • heterogeneous catalysis
  • scale-up

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2115 KiB  
Article
Organocatalytic Packed-Bed Reactors for the Enantioselective Flow Synthesis of Quaternary Isotetronic Acids by Direct Aldol Reactions of Pyruvates
by Lorenzo Poletti, Carmela De Risi, Daniele Ragno, Graziano Di Carmine, Riccardo Tassoni, Alessandro Massi and Paolo Dambruoso
Molecules 2025, 30(2), 296; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30020296 - 13 Jan 2025
Viewed by 627
Abstract
The utilization of the homogeneous (S)-2-pyrrolidine-tetrazole organocatalyst (Ley catalyst) in the self-condensation of ethyl pyruvate and cross-aldol reactions of ethyl pyruvate donor with non-enolizable pyruvate acceptors, namely the sterically hindered ethyl 3-methyl-2-oxobutyrate or the highly electrophilic methyl 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate, is described as [...] Read more.
The utilization of the homogeneous (S)-2-pyrrolidine-tetrazole organocatalyst (Ley catalyst) in the self-condensation of ethyl pyruvate and cross-aldol reactions of ethyl pyruvate donor with non-enolizable pyruvate acceptors, namely the sterically hindered ethyl 3-methyl-2-oxobutyrate or the highly electrophilic methyl 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate, is described as the key enantioselective step toward the synthesis of the corresponding biologically relevant isotetronic acids featuring a quaternary carbon functionalized with ester and alkyl groups. The transition from homogeneous to heterogeneous flow conditions is also investigated, detailing the fabrication and operation of packed-bed reactors filled with a silica-supported version of the pyrrolidine-tetrazole catalyst (SBA-15 as the matrix). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalytic Approaches in Flow Chemistry)
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16 pages, 6726 KiB  
Article
Catalytic Performance of CuZnAl Hydrotalcite-Derived Materials in the Continuous-Flow Chemoselective Hydrogenation of 2-Methyl-2-pentanal toward Fine Chemicals and Pharmaceutical Intermediates
by Rahma Abid, Bartosz Zawadzki, Jaroslav Kocik, Grzegorz Słowik, Janusz Ryczkowski, Mirosław Krawczyk, Zbigniew Kaszkur, Izabela S. Pieta and Anna Śrębowata
Molecules 2024, 29(14), 3345; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29143345 - 16 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1448
Abstract
Hydrotalcite-derived materials are eco-friendly, cheap, and efficient catalysts of different reactions. However, their application in liquid-phase hydrogenation could be more extensive. Hence, this work concerns the application of three hydrotalcite-derived materials with different CuZnAl molar ratios in the liquid-phase continuous-flow hydrogenation of 2-methyl-2-pentenal [...] Read more.
Hydrotalcite-derived materials are eco-friendly, cheap, and efficient catalysts of different reactions. However, their application in liquid-phase hydrogenation could be more extensive. Hence, this work concerns the application of three hydrotalcite-derived materials with different CuZnAl molar ratios in the liquid-phase continuous-flow hydrogenation of 2-methyl-2-pentenal (MPEA) at a wide range of temperature (298–378 K) and pressure (1 × 106–6 × 106 Pa). The catalytic investigations were supported by catalysts characterization by ICP-OES, TPR, in situ XRD, XPS, NH3-TPD, CO2-TPD, and TEM measurements on different stages of their biography. It was shown that the catalytic activity of these samples is related to the Cu0/Cu+ ratio. Depending on the reaction conditions, selectivity control is possible. All catalysts were 100% selective to 2-methylpentanal (MPAA)—sedative drug precursor, with low conversion, at temperatures ≤ 338 K at every pressure. However, the selectivity of the second desired product, fragrance intermediate, 2-methyl-2-penten-1-ol (MPEO), increased significantly at higher temperatures and pressures. It reached the unique value of 54% with 60% substrate conversion at 378 K and 6 × 106 Pa for the catalyst with the highest Cu loading. It was revealed that the production of significant amounts of MPEO is related to the reaction conditions, the Cu+ predominance on the surface, the hydrogen spillover effect, and the acid–base properties of these systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalytic Approaches in Flow Chemistry)
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