219
© Springer Nature B.V. 2020
G. Sindona et al. (eds.), Toxic Chemical and Biological Agents, NATO Science
for Peace and Security Series A: Chemistry and Biology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-2041-8_14
Chapter 14
Synthesis of Long-Chain Esters Under
Continuous Flow Conditions
Daniela Caputo, Michele Casiello, Amelita Grazia Laurenza,
Francesco Fracassi, Caterina Fusco, Angelo Nacci, and Lucia D’Accolti
In recent years, flow chemistry has rapidly gained interest due to the numerous
improvements introduced in synthetic processes such as automation, safe reproducibility, improved safety, and process reliability [1]. Furthermore, reaction parameters settled for laboratory-scale fluidic processes can be used in the up-scaled flow
reactors without the need for special optimization procedures [2].
In this study, the synthesis of biowax esters under flow conditions is reported [3],
in order to obtain a convenient procedure for industrial applications. A simple way
of access to these compounds is the Fisher-type esterification of long-chain acids
with fatty alcohols to obtain wax esters with chains longer than C30 [4].
The flow chemistry procedure for the esterification of margaric, stearic, oleic and
palmitic acids with an array of alcohols to produce the corresponding ester waxes,
is developed. Three reaction factors (temperature, residence time, and wt % of catalyst) were optimized using the Box−Behnken design and the optimized parameters
can be visualized in Fig. 14.1 (55 °C, 30 mins, 9.54 wt% of catalyst).
These milder conditions brought significant benefits in terms of energy consumption, cost efficiency, and eco-sustainability. All these benefits indicate that the
preparation of biowax esters in continuous flow conditions has a good potential for
industrial applications.
D. Caputo (*) · A. Nacci · L. D’Accolti
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
CNR, Istituto di Chimica dei Composti Organometallici (ICCOM), Bari, Italy
e-mail: daniela.caputo@uniba.it
M. Casiello · A. G. Laurenza · F. Fracassi
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
C. Fusco
CNR, Istituto di Chimica dei Composti Organometallici (ICCOM), Bari, Italy
© Springer Nature B.V. 2020
G. Sindona et al. (eds.), Toxic Chemical and Biological Agents, NATO Science
for Peace and Security Series A: Chemistry and Biology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-2041-8_14
Chapter 14
Synthesis of Long-Chain Esters Under
Continuous Flow Conditions
Daniela Caputo, Michele Casiello, Amelita Grazia Laurenza,
Francesco Fracassi, Caterina Fusco, Angelo Nacci, and Lucia D’Accolti
In recent years, flow chemistry has rapidly gained interest due to the numerous
improvements introduced in synthetic processes such as automation, safe reproducibility, improved safety, and process reliability [1]. Furthermore, reaction parameters settled for laboratory-scale fluidic processes can be used in the up-scaled flow
reactors without the need for special optimization procedures [2].
In this study, the synthesis of biowax esters under flow conditions is reported [3],
in order to obtain a convenient procedure for industrial applications. A simple way
of access to these compounds is the Fisher-type esterification of long-chain acids
with fatty alcohols to obtain wax esters with chains longer than C30 [4].
The flow chemistry procedure for the esterification of margaric, stearic, oleic and
palmitic acids with an array of alcohols to produce the corresponding ester waxes,
is developed. Three reaction factors (temperature, residence time, and wt % of catalyst) were optimized using the Box−Behnken design and the optimized parameters
can be visualized in Fig. 14.1 (55 °C, 30 mins, 9.54 wt% of catalyst).
These milder conditions brought significant benefits in terms of energy consumption, cost efficiency, and eco-sustainability. All these benefits indicate that the
preparation of biowax esters in continuous flow conditions has a good potential for
industrial applications.
D. Caputo (*) · A. Nacci · L. D’Accolti
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
CNR, Istituto di Chimica dei Composti Organometallici (ICCOM), Bari, Italy
e-mail: daniela.caputo@uniba.it
M. Casiello · A. G. Laurenza · F. Fracassi
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
C. Fusco
CNR, Istituto di Chimica dei Composti Organometallici (ICCOM), Bari, Italy