Cascade Reactions for Process Intensification

In this stoichiometric forerunner, the use of a polymeric support demonstrated the concept of using an immobilization method to prevent reagents from reacting with each other in an undesired manner, permitting a reaction to occur that is not normally possible. By analogy, there are possibilities where various immobilization methods (in this case, we are interested in nanoencapsulation methods) are used to enable two incompatible catalysts to work concomitantly in an otherwise impossible reaction. 

With this understanding of cascade reactions for the purpose of process intensification, we now turn out attention to the relatively few literature examples that exhibit these features. 

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The use of multiple otherwise incompatible catalysts allows multistep reactions to proceed in one reaction vessel, providing many potential benefits. In this chapter, literature examples of nanoencapsulation for the purpose of process intensification have been discussed comprehensively. Current efforts in the literature are mostly concentrated in the areas of LbL template-based nanoencapsulation and sol-gel immobilization. Other cascade reactions (without the use of nanoencapsulation) that allow the use of incompatible catalysts were also examined and showcased as potential targets for nanoencapsulation approaches. Finally, different methods for nanoencapsulation were investigated, thereby suggesting potential ways forward for cascade reactions that use incompatible catalysts, solvent systems, or simply incompatible reaction conditions. 

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