Development of novel continuous flow reaction methodology for fine chemical production

• Main Author: Alotaibi, Mohammed
• Other Authors: Greenway, Gillian M., Haswell, S. J. (Stephen John), 1954, Kelly, S. M. (Stephen Malcolm), Kyriakou, Georgios
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Chemistry; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/file/4223586/1/Thesis; https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4223586

At present, synthesising complex chemical compounds is a process that is facilitated by employing conventional batch based laboratory approaches. This path, which can to some extent be automated, frequently suffers from inefficient and uncontrollable chemical conversions cannot be controlled over the course of the numerous possible steps of the synthesis process and, which in turn leads to generally lacks in terms of product yields and a poor of product selectivity.In this research chemical synthesis was conducted in combination with small meso (μm) and micron-scale flow reactors, to offer more effective control over chemical reactions compared to conventional batch chemistry. The work capitalised the unique high surface area and excellent thermal transfer characteristics available in meso/micro flow systems, facilitating the creation of controllable, non-uniform, and time-dependent localised reactant, intermediates, and product concentrations, which generate a novel dimension in reaction control that is similar to the chemical control engaged in with biological systems. One factor investigated in the current research was the production of a stable monolithic structure via a sol-gel approach. The macroporous silica-monoliths were fabricated through controlled processes from two precursors tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) with different polymer templates. Commercial available Candida antarctica lipase (CAL) was employed, to produce an active and stable microreactor for biocatalysis reactions. Its activity was investigated through the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl butyrate by using a water-decane biphasic system.The kinetic studies were performed using Candida antarctica lipase (CAL) immobilized on macroporous silica monolith. Interestingly, the kinetic studies had identified that a similar value for kcat is obtained for the immobilized Candida antarctica lipase was (in the range 0.13 to 0.61 min-1) and the free lipase in solution (0.12 min-1) whilst the immobilized apparent Michaelis ...