Conclusion

Since the early 2000s, photochemistry has become the most popular application in fluid chemistry, providing irrefutable proof of the usefulness of fluid systems in organic synthesis. Nevertheless, many chemists still regard flow technology too much as an engineering tool with no real scientific value. Some of the examples highlighted in this article show that this assertion is rather naive. Fluidic technology not only reduces reaction times and catalytic loads, but also allows very precise control of the various reaction parameters, enabling multiphase reactions or reactions involving hazardous reagents to be carried out in complete safety. In some cases, these systems offer greater selectivity than conventional reactors. In addition, fluidic photochemical devices make it easier to scale up and implement processes on an industrial scale. The development of system automation will considerably...