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Abstract:

The increasing popularity of microwave radiation as energy source to fasten chemical reactions has led to this study on the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction where phenylboronic acid reacts with iodobenzene to form biphenyl. Palladium acetate serves as catalyst while tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) or polyethylene glycol 2000 (PEG2000) acts as an additional phase transfer catalyst. UV-Vis spectrophotometry is used to quantify the reaction products. The coupling reaction is performed in four different reactor set-ups: the conventional and microwave batch and flow reactor. The batch reactors are used to study the reaction kinetics by varying the iodobenzene concentration and the reactor temperature. The experimental conversions in the conventional and microwave flow reactors are compared to the theoretical conversions based on the reaction kinetics, residence time and temperature.