Flow chemistry as a tool for high throughput experimentation

Abstract

The way in which compounds and processes are discovered, screened, and optimised is changing, catalysed via the advancement of technology and automation. High throughput experimentation (HTE) is one of the most prevalent techniques in this area, with applications found across a broad spectrum of chemical fields. However, limitations such as challenges in handling volatile solvents mean it is not suitable for all applications, and scale-up can require extensive re-optimisation from an initial high throughput screening (HTS). These challenges can be addressed by coupling HTS with other enabling technologies, such as flow chemistry. The use of flow also widens available process windows, giving access to chemistry that is extremely challenging to carry out under batch-wise HTS. This review will highlight key contributions of flow chemistry approaches for HTS across six research areas, outlining applications, capabilities and benefits, finishing with comments on future directions for the technology.