The Flowsyn continuous flow reactor from Uniqsis offers chemists the freedom to choose the Flowsyn system with the appropriate flow-path material best suited to their particular chemistry.
Flow chemistry in micro-reactors is said to have many advantages over batch processing, including better reproducibility and scalability, improved yields and fewer problems with unstable intermediates or exothermic reactions.
The user can now choose a flow-path configuration that is most chemically compatible with the type of chemistry to be performed.
A limitation of existing flow reactors is attributable to the use of Peek components in the flow path.
This material is a good engineering polymer but has limited compatibility with concentrated mineral and organic acids and very strong basis.
Uniqsis fits specially modified high-pressure pumps that do not contain Peek.
A wider range of chemistries is now possible, according to the company.
Reactions requiring the use of strong acids such as nitric acid (nitrations) or powerful organometallic bases such as butyl lithium (metallations) are now routinely possible in flow chemistry.
For many scientists, the standard Flowsyn (Peek and PTFE flow path) offers a practical combination of high-pressure capability and good chemical resistance.
Uniqsis has recently introduced a range of models compatible with a broader range of chemistries.
For the broadest chemical resistance, particularly to concentrated mineral acids, Flowsyn PTFE benefits from a flow path constructed entirely from PTFE, however, this configuration can only withstand moderate pressures.
Where high-pressure operation is a prerequisite, Flowsyn Steel has a flow path constructed from permanently swaged 316S stainless-steel tubing.
This configuration affords safe operation up to 100 bar (1,400lb/in2) and chemical compatibility with strong acids such as concentrated sulphuric acid and TFA.
On request, Uniqsis can also offer a customised version (Flowsyn Hastelloy) where the flow path is constructed from Hastelloy, which offers the optimal combination of chemical resistance combined with high-pressure capability.
