Bernhard Gutmann

Continuous‐Flow Technology—A Tool for the Safe Manufacturing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients

In the past few years, continuous-flow reactors with channel dimensions in the micro- or millimeter region have found widespread application in organic synthesis. The characteristic properties of these reactors are their exceptionally fast heat and mass transfer. In microstructured devices of this type, virtually instantaneous mixing can be achieved for all but the fastest reactions. Similarly, the accumulation of heat, formation of hot spots, and dangers of thermal runaways can be prevented. As a result of the small reactor volumes, the overall safety of the process is significantly improved, even when harsh reaction conditions are used. Thus, microreactor technology offers a unique way to perform ultrafast, exothermic reactions, and allows the execution of reactions which proceed via highly unstable or even explosive intermediates. This Review discusses recent literature examples of continuous-flow organic synthesis where hazardous reactions or extreme process windows have been employed, with a focus on applications of relevance to the preparation of pharmaceuticals.

Synthesis of 5‐Substituted 1H‐Tetrazoles from Nitriles and Hydrazoic Acid by Using a Safe and Scalable High‐Temperature Microreactor Approach

Interest in tetrazole chemistry over the past few years has been increasing rapidly, mainly as a result of the role played by this heterocyclic functionality in medicinal chemistry as a metabolically stable surrogate for carboxylic acid functionalities. Additional important applications for tetrazoles are found in coordination chemistry, materials science, and as intermediates in a variety of synthetic transformations. The most common synthetic approach to prepare 5-substituted 1H-tetrazole derivatives involves the addition of azide salts to organic nitriles in a temperature range of typically 100–150 8C (Scheme 1). A plethora of synthetic

Continuous flow generation and reactions of anhydrous diazomethane using a Teflon AF-2400 tube-in-tube reactor.

A continuous process for generation, separation, and reactions of anhydrous diazomethane in a tube-in-tube reactor was developed. The inner tube of the reactor is made of hydrophobic, gas-permeable Teflon AF-2400. The diazomethane is formed in the inner tube and then diffuses through the permeable membrane into the outer chamber and subsequently reacts in the solution carried within. This technique allows safe and scalable reactions with dry diazomethane to be performed on a laboratory scale.

Sintered Silicon Carbide: A New Ceramic Vessel Material for Microwave Chemistry in Single-Mode Reactors

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a strongly microwave absorbing chemically inert ceramic material that can be utilized at extremely high temperatures due to its high melting point and very low thermal expansion coefficient. Microwave irradiation induces a flow of electrons in the semiconducting ceramic that heats the material very efficiently through resistance heating mechanisms. The use of SiC carbide reaction vessels in combination with a single-mode microwave reactor provides an almost complete shielding of the contents inside from the electromagnetic field. Therefore, such experiments do not involve electromagnetic field effects on the chemistry, since the semiconducting ceramic vial effectively prevents microwave irradiation from penetrating the reaction mixture. The involvement of electromagnetic field effects (specific/nonthermal microwave effects) on 21 selected chemical transformations was evaluated by comparing the results obtained in microwave-transparent Pyrex vials with experiments performed in SiC vials at the same reaction temperature. For most of the 21 reactions, the outcome in terms of conversion/purity/product yields using the two different vial types was virtually identical, indicating that the electromagnetic field had no direct influence on the reaction pathway. Due to the high chemical resistance of SiC, reactions involving corrosive reagents can be performed without degradation of the vessel material. Examples include high-temperature fluorine-chlorine exchange reactions using triethylamine trihydrofluoride, and the hydrolysis of nitriles with aqueous potassium hydroxide. The unique combination of high microwave absorptivity, thermal conductivity, and effusivity on the one hand, and excellent temperature, pressure and corrosion resistance on the other hand, makes this material ideal for the fabrication of reaction vessels for use in microwave reactors.

Mechanistic Insights on Azide−Nitrile Cycloadditions: On the Dialkyltin Oxide−Trimethylsilyl Azide Route and a New Vilsmeier−Haack-Type Organocatalyst

The mechanism of the azide-nitrile cycloaddition mediated by the known dialkylltin oxide-trimethylsilyl azide catalyst system has been addressed through DFT calculations. The catalytic cycle for this tin/silicon complex-based mechanism has been thoroughly examined, disclosing the most plausible intermediates and the energetics involved in the rate enhancement. In addition, a new catalyst, 5-azido-1-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrolium azide, is presented for the formation of tetrazoles by cycloaddition of sodium azide with organic nitriles under neutral conditions. The efficiency of this organocatalyst, generated in situ from N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), sodium azide, and trimethylsilyl chloride under reaction conditions, has been examined by preparation of a series of 5-substituted-1H-tetrazoles. The desired target structures were obtained in high yields within 15-25 min employing controlled microwave heating. An in depth computational analysis of the proposed catalytic cycle has also been addressed to understand the nature of the rate acceleration. The computed energy barriers have been compared to the dialkylltin oxide-trimethylsilyl azide metal-based catalyst system. Both the tin/silicon species and the new organocatalyst accelerate the azide-nitrile coupling by activating the nitrile substrate. As compared to the dialkylltin oxide-trimethylsilyl azide method, the organocatalytic system presented herein has the advantage of higher reactivity, in situ generation from inexpensive materials, and low toxicity.

Continuous Flow Synthesis of α-Halo Ketones: Essential Building Blocks of Antiretroviral Agents

The development of a continuous flow process for the multistep synthesis of α-halo ketones starting from N-protected amino acids is described. The obtained α-halo ketones are chiral building blocks for the synthesis of HIV protease inhibitors, such as atazanavir and darunavir. The synthesis starts with the formation of a mixed anhydride in a first tubular reactor. The anhydride is subsequently combined with anhydrous diazomethane in a tube-in-tube reactor. The tube-in-tube reactor consists of an inner tube, made from a gas-permeable, hydrophobic material, enclosed in a thick-walled, impermeable outer tube. Diazomethane is generated in the inner tube in an aqueous medium, and anhydrous diazomethane subsequently diffuses through the permeable membrane into the outer chamber. The α-diazo ketone is produced from the mixed anhydride and diazomethane in the outer chamber, and the resulting diazo ketone is finally converted to the halo ketone with anhydrous ethereal hydrogen halide. This method eliminates the need to store, transport, or handle diazomethane and produces α-halo ketone building blocks in a multistep system without racemization in excellent yields. A fully continuous process allowed the synthesis of 1.84 g of α-chloro ketone from the respective N-protected amino acid within ~4.5 h (87% yield).

Continuous‐Flow Synthesis of Adipic Acid from Cyclohexene Using Hydrogen Peroxide in High‐Temperature Explosive Regimes

Safe only in a microreactor! The synthesis of adipic acid from cyclohexene by tungstic acid-catalyzed oxidation using hydrogen peroxide following the classical Noyori protocol can be accomplished in good yields with residence times as short as 20 min at 140 °C using a safe and scalable microreactor environment. Under these intensified conditions the use of a phase-transfer catalyst is not required.

Characterization of Microwave-Induced Electric Discharge Phenomena in Metal–Solvent Mixtures

Electric discharge phenomena in metal–solvent mixtures are investigated utilizing a high field density, sealed-vessel, single-mode 2.45 GHz microwave reactor with a built-in camera. Particular emphasis is placed on studying the discharges exhibited by different metals (Mg, Zn, Cu, Fe, Ni) of varying particle sizes and morphologies in organic solvents (e.g., benzene) at different electric field strengths. Discharge phenomena for diamagnetic and paramagnetic metals (Mg, Zn, Cu) depend strongly on the size of the used particles. With small particles, short-lived corona discharges are observed that do not lead to a complete breakdown. Under high microwave power conditions or with large particles, however, bright sparks and arcs are experienced, often accompanied by solvent decomposition and formation of considerable amounts of graphitized material. Small ferromagnetic Fe and Ni powders (<40 μm) are heated very rapidly in benzene suspensions and start to glow in the microwave field, whereas larger particles exhibit extremely strong discharges. Electric discharges were also observed when Cu metal or other conductive materials such as silicon carbide were exposed to the microwave field in the absence of a solvent in an argon or nitrogen atmosphere.

Safe Generation and Synthetic Utilization of Hydrazoic Acid in a Continuous Flow Reactor

Hydrazoic acid (HN3) was used in a safe and reliable way for the synthesis of 5-substitued-1H-tetrazoles and for the preparation of N-(2-azidoethyl)acylamides in a continuous flow format. Hydrazoic acid was generated in situ either from an aqueous feed of sodium azide upon mixing with acetic acid, or from neat trimethylsilyl azide upon mixing with methanol. For both processes, subsequent reaction of the in situ generated hydrazoic acid with either organic nitriles (tetrazole formation) or 2-oxazolines (ring opening to β-azido-carboxamides) was performed in a coil reactor in an elevated temperature/pressure regime. Despite the explosive properties of HN3, the reactions could be performed safely at very high temperatures to yield the desired products in short reaction times and in excellent product yields. The scalability of both protocols was demonstrated for selected examples. Employing a commercially available benchtop flow reactor, productivities of 18.9 g/h of 5-phenyltetrazole and 23.0 g/h of N-(1-azido-2-methylpropan-2-yl)acetamide were achieved.

An experimental and computational assessment of acid-catalyzed azide-nitrile cycloadditions.

The mechanism of the azide-nitrile cycloaddition mediated by different Brønsted and Lewis acids has been addressed through DFT calculations. In all cases activation of the nitrile substrate by the Brønsted or Lewis acid catalyst was found to be responsible for the rate enhancement. According to DFT calculations the cycloaddition proceeds in a stepwise fashion involving the initial formation of an open-chain imidoyl azide intermediate. Kinetic experiments performed using N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone as solvent and sodium azide as azide source demonstrate that all evaluated Brønsted acids have the same efficiency toward cycloaddition with benzonitrile, suggesting that hydrazoic acid is the actual dominant catalytic species in these tetrazole syntheses. Lewis acids such as Zn or Al salts perform in a similar manner, activating the nitrile moiety and leading to an open-chain intermediate that subsequently cyclizes to produce the tetrazole nucleus. The most efficient catalyst evaluated was 5-azido-1-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrolium azide, which can readily be generated in situ from aluminum chloride, sodium azide in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The efficiency of this catalyst has been examined by preparation of a series of 5-substituted-1H-tetrazoles. The desired tetrazole structures were obtained in high yields within 3-10 min employing controlled microwave heating.