Applications of Flow Chemistry for API Synthesis

Flow chemistry as an approach and term has been used since the 1970s, but it was not until the turn of the millennium that the term became common in relation to fine chemical synthesis, as it was explored for application in the pharmaceutical industry. By comparison the Haber–Bosch process for ammonia synthesis, as well as hydroformylations as continuous flow processes are used at considerable scale, and have been for some time.

Where large-scale flow processes exist in the polymer, petrochemical and food industries, they tend to involve relatively simple transformations, and/or enact certain operations such as precipitation, separation and quenching. The technology is used as it offers greater control over the process and yields through temperature control, or higher volume throughputs.