Continuous Liquid Vapor Reactions Part 2: Asymmetric Hydroformylation with Rhodium-Bisdiazaphos Catalysts in a Vertical Pipes-in-Series Reactor

Asymmetric hydroformylation (AHF) of 2-vinyl-6-methoxy­naphthalene demonstrates important design characteristics of a vertical pipes-in-series plug flow reactor (PFR). The regio- and enantioselectivity of the AHF reaction provide a chemical probe of gas–liquid mixing in a flow reactor for comparison with well-stirred batch reactors. Results obtained with the flow reactor compare favorably to those obtained in batch. Thus, AHF provides an efficient, in-flow enantioselective synthesis of (S)-Naproxen.