SBIR Phase I: Energy Efficient Manufacturing of Fluoroaromatics

小企业创新研究（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节能微波工艺。目前，氟代芳族化合物是通过适当试剂的常规加热来生产的;氟化剂氟化钾在反应介质中的溶解性很差。这种方法需要严格干燥，反应时间长，以获得高产率，同时产生分解和副反应，与此不同的是，替代的微波方法将使用不同的氟化剂，在更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，同时显着提高该方法的能源效率。氟代芳香族成分是许多药物和农业化学制剂中的活性成分。这些药物包括百忧解（胆固醇药物）、普托平（溃疡和胃酸反流治疗）、FLONASE（抗哮喘药）、氟西汀（抗抑郁药）、氟伏沙明（抗抑郁药）、EFFAVIRENZ（HIV抗逆转录病毒治疗）和甲氟喹（抗疟疾药）。其他包括氟草酮（除草剂）、氟啶虫胺（植物调节剂）、氟唑和氟唑醇（杀真菌剂）。在接下来的十年里，大约33%的药品和9%的农用化学品将被氟化，销售额超过150亿美元。目前的制造技术，通过常规加热，每年消耗数万亿BTU。这项工作将产生的技术，将节省数十亿BTU/年，在未来的氟芳烃制造。

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.