A benchtop continuous flow reactor: A solution to the hazards posed by gas cylinder based hydrogenation

This paper reports on benchtop continuous-flow hydrogenation reactors (H-Cube1 together with its new version, a follow-up model H-Cube Pro2) and its safe application in chemical laboratories. The reactors combine endogenous hydrogen generation from the electrolysis of water with a continuous flow-through system. The system makes significant advances over current batch hydrogenation reactors in terms of safety, rates of reaction, as well as reaction optimization efficiency. The hydrogenation process is described along with a general introduction and capabilities of the device. Several hydrogenation reactions will be discussed that are normally avoided in the comtemporary laboratories, either solely for safety reasons (applying highly pyrophoric catalysts or explosive reactants) or because standard batch equipment has difficulties achieving high temperature and pressures. The solution to these problems may open many novel chemistry opportunities and pathways for chemists to develop new compounds.