Uniqsis has launched a new high
intensity Borealis™ LED light source which has been shown to
significantly increase the rate of metal-catalyzed photoredox reactions. Building upon the Nobel Prize winning work of
Macmillan et al, photoredox catalysis has emerged as an important
and powerful bond-forming strategy in chemical synthesis. Key to the practical
implementation of this methodology in the laboratory is the availability of
affordable and easy to use benchtop photoreactor systems. Available in activation wavelengths from 365nm up
to 525nm the Borealis™ LED light source is a proven device for performing
photochemical reactions in both batch and flow modes. Recently, Uniqsis
introduced a high-intensity version of the 180W Borealis LED light source. This
new version uses high output LEDs that, being more efficient than the original
Chip-on-Board (COB) LEDs, produce a higher light output for the same power
consumption. Described in a new application report, two
time-studies were performed in a Uniqsis Solstice 12-position multi-tube batch
photoreactor varying only the version of 420nm Borealis LED lamp. In each case,
the LED light source was connected to a 180W Borealis digital power supply. The
results illustrate how the increased photon flux provided by the new 420nm 180W
Borealis LED lamp significantly increase the rate of a metal-mediated
photoredox decarboxylative arylation (Macmillan reaction) when compared to the
original Mk1 version.