Towards Automated Microfluidic-based Platforms: Optimizing Hydrogenation Efficiency of Nitrobenzene through π–π Interactions in Pd Nanoparticles on Covalent Organic Frameworks

Abstract

Microplatform with timed automata has been leveraged for guiding the preparation of molecules, whereas the requirement of handling expertise and sophisticated instrument is inevitable in combination with heterogeneous catalysis. Here we report a microfluidic-based autolab with open structures, called Put & Play Automated Microplatform (PPAM). It shows the efficient hydrogenation performance of palladium nanoparticles on the triphenylene-based covalent organic frameworks (Pd/TP-COFs) in which the π–π interactions of TP rings in the vicinity of Pd is optimized by easy change-over of catalyst and simple tuning of reactor geometries in PPAM. Using experiment/simulation of the Pd/TP-COFs coating (PCC) and mixing (PCM) across PPAM with different channel sizes, the turnover frequencies are 60 times the commonly used batch reactor, and aniline productivity of 8.8 g h−1 is achieved in 0.09 cm3. This work will raise awareness about the benefits of the catalyst-loaded microplatform in future materials performance campaigns.