Ir/Ni Photoredox Dual Catalysis with Heterogeneous Base Enabled by an Oscillatory Plug Flow Photoreactor
Wouter Debrouwer, Wim Kimpe, Ruben Dangreau, Kevin Huvaere, Hannes P. L. Gemoets, Milad Mottaghi, Simon Kuhn, Koen Van Aken
Abstract
Continuous flow reactor technology has a proven track record in enabling photochemical transformations. However, transfer of a photochemical batch process to a flow protocol often remains elusive, especially when solid reagents or catalysts are employed. In this work, application of an oscillatory plug flow photoreactor enabled a heterogeneous MacMillan-type C(sp2)–C(sp3) cross-electrophile coupling. Combination of an oscillatory flow regime with static mixing elements imparts exquisite control over the mixing intensity and residence time distribution, pinpointing a mindset shift concerning slurry handling in continuous flow reactors. The C(sp2)–C(sp3) cross-electrophile coupling was successfully transferred from batch to flow, resulting in an intensified slurry process with significantly reduced reaction time and increased productivity (0.87 g/h).