Has anyone checked out the Microwave Chemistry Research section of rhodium. There are quite a few interesting writeups on topics like solvent-less benzaldehyde from the oxidation of Benzyl-alcohol with MnO2.

Anyways, I think that Lab Tips should maybe discuss and expand on this topic as it hasn't been discussed much recently, and it looks pretty innovative.
I will contribute in a little while, for the only physics I took was honors in 11th grade, so I have to read up on a few things and go to work.

It's certainly a fascinating field, IIRC mega at RS has done some work but hasn't published many results.

I recall quit a bit of fuss about at the hive, some say its dangerous, because cutting holes in a microwave and placing a flask in there doesn't sound like the safest thing. But then again i think someone tried the eugenol---> safrole with a microwave and got very little amounts of presumed safrole, i think.

I recall quit a bit of fuss about at the hive, some say its dangerous, because cutting holes in a microwave and placing a flask in there doesn't sound like the safest thing.

I'm not sure that cutting holes is strictly necessary, but having a chemical only microwave certainly is...

reactions have been known to go fine, even more reliably, in an unconverted, commercial microwave oven...

I'm not sure that cutting holes is strictly necessary, but having a chemical only microwave certainly is...

reactions have been known to go fine, even more reliably, in an unconverted, commercial microwave oven...

Your right indeed, but you know i was thinking about a MW reaction with a reflux on it :(, but still, i remain skeptical about this sort of thing :( I have never performed one or bothered to do much research about it.

Your right indeed, but you know i was thinking about a MW reaction with a reflux on it :(, but still, i remain skeptical about this sort of thing :( I have never performed one or bothered to do much research about it.

Don't think I've ever heard of a microwave reaction being performed under reflux...

Generally speaking, reactions performed in unmodified microwave ovens are done in open vessels, and those in standard microwave reactors are performed under "sealed tube" conditions.

Either way, no reflux is necessary...

Microwave chemistry does have its place though - sometimes it is not useful, but in certain cirumstances, one could achieve significantly superior results to those using other methods...