An accessible and efficient 3D printed modular ‘M-Arc’ photoreactor

Abstract

Photochemistry has recently re-emerged at the forefront of chemical development, however, access to affordable and reliable photoreactors that generate reproducible results is a continued challenge for researchers in the field. Herein we present an open-source 3D printable ‘M-Arc’ photoreactor, named for its modularity and internal arc structure. The M-Arc reactor features modular batch and flow reactor inserts, ports for one or two light sources and a fan unit for maintaining temperature control. The reactor was benchmarked against commercially available photoreactors using chemical actinometry and three classical photochemical transformations: photoisomerisation, dehalogenation and a cross-coupling amination reaction. Photon delivery in the M-Arc reactor was improved 3.25-fold compared to a commercial reactor which translated into enhanced rate of reaction for all three tested photoreactions. Using the flow reactor insert, a further rate improvement for photoisomerization was achieved, ultimately demonstrating a 15 times rate improvement versus the HepatoChem PhotoRedOx Box™ market product.