The Claisen rearrangement - part 2 : impact factor analysis of the Claisen rearrangement, in batch and in flow

In Part 2, the factors impacting the Claisen rearrangement both in batch and flow processing are analyzed, including the choice of substituent, catalyst, temperature, pressure, concentration, flow rates, and solvent. Part 1 of this review series discussed the potential of using short-time spectroscopy and quantum mechanical calculations to elucidate the mechanism and transition state of the Claisen rearrangement. Flow processing offers profound opportunities for studying these factors known to impact the Claisen rearrangement done in batch. It is shown that the same impact factors also rule flow processing, yet now superposed by the very different residence and reaction time settings and by novel process windows which go beyond conventional processing. As a result, massive intensification can be reached and a mechanistic analysis can be done in entirely unpaved processing fields. This links to the analysis given in part 1: it is likely that flow processing can further promote the understanding of the mechanism and transition state of the Claisen rearrangement and, thereby, promote the achievement of better reaction performance.