A concept that has generated debate over the last year is that of simultaneous cooling, a method patented as PowerMAX. This allows for simultaneous cooling of a reaction with compressed air whilst heating it with a substantial microwave power. In principle, it allows for higher levels of microwave energy to be introduced into a reaction whilst maintaining the mixture at a particular temperature. It has been suggested that this can result in higher product yields and new pathways that were previously unattainable. This talk will outline our attempts to critically assess the technique in conjunction with its use in organic synthesis. After a discussion of the necessary parameters that need to be taken into account, the effects of microwave heating whilst simultaneously cooling on a range of organic transformations will be shown.
Back to Symposia: Microwave Chemistry
Back to The 33rd Northeast Regional Meeting (July 14-17, 2005)