Sam Adams and Joe Socci of Stoli Catalysts share research insights in catalyst development and continuous chemical processing
Flow chemistry is becoming the
main alternative to traditional batch reactions in fine chemistry . Flow processes enhance the process safety and boost productivity at a fraction of the batch production costs . However , flow chemistry is barely accessible for the heterogeneously catalysed reactions that constitute 10-15 % of all fine chemical processes . This is despite the high capital expenditure of establishing batch plants and 15-40 % higher operating costs than flow processes . 1 Many of these processes involve the addition of hydrogen across bonds , such as alkynyl , alkenyl , carbonyl and imine , both in the reduction of heterocycles and in deprotection reactions . With a wide range of applicability and a seemingly endless choice of catalyst formulations , a more uniform approach to these syntheses is both more environmentally friendly , and more time- and cost-efficient . Stoli Catalysts is a spin-out of the University of Warwick , specialising in process intensification and reaction
32 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981