Heterogeneous catalyst for fine-chemical production

Most industrial syntheses of fine-chemicals are still performed with classic organic reactions by multistep batch processes, using sophisticated reagents, protective groups or additives which are needed for highly selective transformations. As a result, among all industrial segments, pharmaceuticals and fine-chemicals show the highest E-Factors (Kg of waste/Kg product). In order to devise low-impact processes, a number of requirements to be fulfilled were indicated, which are acknowledged under the name of "The Principles of Green Chemistry". Heterogeneous catalysts have a great potential for process intensification both in terms of improved efficiency (space-to-time-yield, atom-economy), minimal number of energy consuming steps (separation and purification), ease of reuse as well as integration in reactor equipments while reducing the production of waste of the overall processes. Among these, bifunctional catalysts combining both supported acid- and metal sites enabling multiple reaction sequences in one-pot may promote a range of important reactions typical of organic catalysis (e.g. condensation, dehydration) with those characteristic of metal-mediated activators (e.g. hydrogenation) in cascade or in a cooperative way, thus to be particularly attractive. Furthermore the use of unconventional monolithic catalysts integrated in continuous flow reactors, can be considered extremely useful for the synthesis of fine-chemicals because of the improved mass and heat transfer, a lower pressure drop, a uniform residence times distribution and a higher selectivity, compared to packed-bed setups.