Energetic Material Synthesis: Scale-up Using a Novel Modular Microflow Reactor Setup

The advantages ofmicroflow reactors have proven to be manifold,e.g., the excellent cooling ability, which allows performing exothermicreactions like nitrations safely. A critical point remains the transitionfrom gram scale to industrial production. On an industrial scale,they are often designed for specific syntheses and are therefore lessuseful for a conventional research laboratory. A reactor setup wassuccessfully developed mitigating these shortcomings and allowingthe use of highly corrosive materials, like fuming inorganic acids(e.g., nitric, sulfuric acid), bases (e.g., bleach solutions), andchlorinated solvents. As a proof of functionality, the synthesis ofnitroguanidine has been performed on a lab scale and was significantlyimproved over reported batch syntheses in terms of safety and productionrate. A scale-up to industrial scale has hence become feasible.

Automated summary

The advantages of microflow reactors, such as excellent cooling ability, allow for safe exothermic reactions. However, transitioning from small to industrial scale production remains a challenge. A reactor setup has been developed to overcome this limitation and enable the use of highly corrosive materials. As proven by the successful synthesis of nitroguanidine on a lab scale, the new setup improves safety and production rate, making industrial scale-up feasible.