2020/04/20 by Zhenwei Wei, Yangjie Li, R. Graham Cooks +1 · 7 citations
Engineering · Chemistry · #Innovative Microfluidic and Catalytic Techniques Innovation #Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications #Analytical Chemistry and Chromatography
paper · pdf · doi:10.1146/annurev-physchem-121319-110654
Various organic reactions, including important synthetic reactions involving C-C, C-N, and C-O bond formation as well as reactions of biomolecules, are accelerated when the reagents are present in sprayed or levitated microdroplets or in thin films. The reaction rates increase by orders of magnitude with decreasing droplet size or film thickness. The effect is associated with reactions at the solution-air interface. A key factor is partial solvation of the reagents at the interface, which reduces the critical energy for reaction. This phenomenon is of intrinsic interest and potentially of practical value as a simple, rapid method of performing small-scale synthesis.