Harnessing Thin-Film Continuous-Flow Assembly Lines

Inspired by nature's ability to construct complex molecules through sequential synthetic transformations, an assembly line synthesis of alpha-aminophosphonates has been developed. In this approach, simple starting materials are continuously fed through a thin-film reactor where the intermediates accrue molecular complexity as they progress through the flow system. Flow chemistry allows rapid multistep transformations to occur via reaction compartmentalization, an approach not amenable to using conventional flasks. Thin film processing can also access facile in situ solvent exchange to drive reaction efficiency, and through this method, alpha-aminophosphonate synthesis requires only 443 s residence time to produce 3.22 g h(-1). Assembly-line synthesis allows unprecedented reaction flexibility and processing efficiency.