Method and apparatus for chemical synthesis

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for synthesis and collection of higher order chemical compounds from lower order precursors. The apparatus includes a first silent electric discharge reactor configured to synthesize an intermediate product (e.g., disilane) from a precursor chemical (e.g., monosilane). A second silent electric discharge reactor is connected downstream of the first reactor. This second reactor is configured to convert the intermediate product into the higher order chemical compound (e.g., trisilane). Multiple condensation traps are also connected to receive effluent from the second reactor, which will generally include the compound of interest as well as unreacted precursor and intermediate product. In the illustrated embodiment, a parallel second condensation traps is also included to shunt flow and continue collection while the chemical of interest is removed for purification. Moreover, parallel second condensation traps for the intermediate product and unreacted (or recombined) precursor allow continued collection while the contents of the first traps are recycled in the reactor(s).

1 . An apparatus for synthesis and collection of higher order chemical compounds from lower order precursors, comprising: 
 a first silent electric discharge reactor configured to synthesize an intermediate product from a precursor chemical;    a source of the precursor chemical connected upstream of the first reactor;    a second silent electric discharge reactor connected downstream of the first reactor, the second reactor configured to convert the intermediate product into a higher order chemical compound; and    a plurality of condensation traps connected to receive effluent from the second reactor.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of condensation traps comprises at least a first trap for the higher order chemical compound, a first trap for the intermediate product and a first trap for the precursor chemical in the effluent from the second reactor.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a second trap for the higher order chemical compound, a second trap for the intermediate product and a second trap for the precursor chemical in the effluent from the second reactor, the second traps being arranged in parallel with the first traps to facilitate shunting flow individually into the second traps while collected fluids are removed from the corresponding first traps.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a feedback line from the first and second traps for the intermediate product to the second reactor for recycling the intermediate product.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the higher order chemical compound comprises trisilane, the intermediate product comprises disilane and the precursor chemical comprises monosilane.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the condensation traps are configured for periodic warming for removal of collected chemicals therefrom.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for synthesizing a higher order silane, comprising: 
 a first discharge reactor configured to produce a first silicon compound from a silicon precursor; and    a second discharge reactor connected downstream of the first discharge reactor, the second discharge reactor receiving the first silicon compound from the first discharge reactor and converting it into the higher order silane.    
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the silicon precursor comprises monosilane and the first silicon compound comprises disilane.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further configured to provide further monosilane separately to the second reactor.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the higher order silane comprises trisilane and reactions in the second reactor yield a higher percentage of trisilane compared with reactions in the first reactor.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein conditions in the first reactor are optimized for disilane production, and conditions in the second reactor are optimized for trisilane production.  
     
     
         12 . A silent electric discharge apparatus configured for synthesizing higher order silane from monosilane precursors, comprising: 
 a silent electric discharge reactor, having a source of monosilane connected thereto;    a condensation trap connected downstream of the reactor for collecting reaction products; and    a source of disilane connected upstream of the silent electric discharge reactor.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the source of disilane comprises an upstream reactor provided with a source of monosilane.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a gas line selectively communicating condensed reaction products in the condensation trap with the silent electric discharge reactor.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the source of disilane comprises the condensation trap downstream of the reactor and a gas line selectively communicating condensed reaction products in the condensation trap with the silent electric discharge reactor.