A solar tracker integrated microreactor for real-time sunlight induced ketene formation and API synthesis

Abstract

Employing solar energy for chemical synthesis is one of the most important reaction pathways on the earth. An integrated programmed solar panel micro-flow platform approach is presented herein for Wolff rearrangements to synthesize β-amino acid, ester, amide, thiolate, etc. The reaction is performed without a metal catalyst and uses sunlight as an energy source in a time and labour-efficient manner leading to a greener approach. The synthesized homologated acid was further extended to the synthesis of an anti-diabetic type-2 active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), prositagliptin.