Development of a continuous flow reactor for pharmaceuticals using catalytic monoliths: Pt/C selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol

•A continuous flow fixed-bed catalytic pharmaceutical reactor has been developed.•Demonstrated for the partial-oxidation of benzyl alcohol to aldehyde using oxygen.•Viability of this novel structured reactor concept demonstrated at pilot-scale.

A novel design of pilot-scale continuous flow pharmaceutical fixed-bed catalytic reactor has been developed. This incorporates in a structured manner the use of multiple catalytic monoliths (o.d. = 20 mm; L = 50 mm). O2 was used as the oxidant (O2/N2 mixture) for the partial oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde, using Pt impregnated (2.5 and 2.7 wt%) carbon monoliths. Reactions were performed e.g. at liquid flow = 1 dm3 h−1; benzyl alcohol concentration = 1 kmol m−3; T = 110 °C; P = 12 bar(g). A major breakthrough was the demonstration of the viability of this design at pilot-scale.

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