A recent mini-review from Vapourtec showcases the vast potential of flow biocatalysis, emphasizing its role in enhancing sustainability, efficiency, and productivity in chemical synthesis. The review highlights several key publications demonstrating how flow biocatalysis is a cleaner, more cost-effective alternative to traditional organic chemistry, largely due to its use of enzymes as reagents.
“The use of enzymes for synthesis (enzymatic reactions) can provide opportunities to improve reaction efficiency and productivity, as well as address sustainability,” said Dr. Manuel Nuño, Vapourtec’s chief scientific officer. He further explained that flow biocatalysis allows “precise control of a transformation,” which leads to “outstanding stereo-, regio-, and chemo-selectivity.”
While biocatalysis has been well-established in organic chemistry, its transition into flow chemistry has been slower. However, Dr. Nuño noted that recent advancements have accelerated its adoption. “In particular, enzyme immobilization has allowed the development of column or ‘packed-bed’ reactors,” he said.
The review details significant progress in flow biocatalysis, citing recent enzymatic reactions published in the field. These studies demonstrate that using flow mode often results in higher yields, faster reaction rates, better selectivity, and greater retention of enzyme activity compared to the traditional batch process. “Our short review highlights significant advances in the field of flow biocatalysis,” added Dr. Nuño.
Researchers have extensively used Vapourtec’s flow chemistry systems, particularly the modular R-Series, to explore enzyme-based synthesis. The R-Series system’s flexibility has provided significant advantages for scientists looking to exploit the benefits of flow biocatalysis.
For more information, visit Vapourtec’s website at vapourtec.com.
