Stephan Laue

Continuous Asymmetric Hydrogenation

Asymmetric hydrogenation with homogeneous soluble catalysts is a key technology for the production of enantiomerically enriched fine chemicals. Hydrogen supply via dense membranes in combination with continuous membrane filtration of soluble macromolecular catalysts allows for continuous hydrogenation. A optimised reactor with minimized volume was realized and used for continuous enzymatic and homogeneous catalysis. The vital importance of catalyst stability for continuous application is discussed. Furthermore, activation kinetics of the Pyrphos catalyst was investigated and found to be dependent on the presence of substrate.