SBIR Phase I: Energy Efficient Manufacturing of Fluoroaromatics

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目提出了通过卤素交换将氯代芳烃转化为氟代芳烃的高能效微波工艺。目前，含氟芳香烃是通过适当试剂的常规加热生产的；氟化钾作为氟化剂，在反应介质中很难溶解。与这种需要严格干燥、延长反应时间以在产生分解和副反应的同时获得高产量的过程不同，替代微波过程将使用不同的氟化剂在较短的反应时间内产生类似的产率，最大限度地减少分解和副反应，同时显著提高过程的能量效率。这些药物包括百忧解(胆固醇药物)、普雷维酸(溃疡和胃酸反流治疗)、氟龙酶(抗哮喘剂)、氟西汀(一种抗抑郁剂)、氟伏沙明(一种抗抑郁剂)、EFFAVIRENZ(艾滋病毒的抗逆转录病毒疗法)和甲氟喹(抗疟疾)。其他包括氟虫隆(除草剂)、氟虫咪醇(植物调节剂)、氟草灵和氟草灵(杀菌剂)。在接下来的十年里，大约33%的药物和9%的农用化学品将是氟化的，销售额将超过150亿美元。目前的制造技术，通过传统的加热，每年消耗数万亿BTU。这项工作将产生在未来的氟芳烃生产中每年节省数十亿BTU的技术。

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes energy efficient microwave-process for the conversion of chloroaromatics to fluoroaromatics by halogen exchange. Currently, fluoroaromatics are produced by conventional heating of appropriate reagents; and potassium fluoride, the fluorinating agent, is poorly soluble in the reaction media. Unlike this process that involves rigorous drying, long reaction periods to obtain high yields while producing decomposition and side reactions, the alternative microwave process will use different fluorinating agents to produce similar yields in shorter reaction period, minimizes decomposition and side reactions, while significantly increasing the energy efficiency of the process.Fluoroaromatic constituents are active ingredients in many pharmaceutical and agrochemical formulations. These include PROZAC (cholesterol medication), PREVACID (ulcer and acid reflux treatment), FLONASE (anti-asthma agent), FLUXETINE (an antidepressant agent), FLUVOXAMINE (an antidepressant), EFFAVIRENZ (antiretroviral therapy for HIV), and MEFLOQUINE (anti-malarial). Others include NORFLURAZON FLURIDONE (herbicides), FLURPRIMIDOL (plant regulator), FLUOTRIMAZOLE and FLUTRIAFOL (fungicides). Over the next decade, some 33 percent of pharmaceuticals drugs, and 9 percent of agrochemicals would be fluorinated, worth over $15 billion in sales. The current manufacturing technology, by conventional heating, consumes several trillion BTU/year. This work will produce technologies that will conserve several billion BTU/year in future manufacturing of fluoroaromatics.