Process and apparatus for reproducible production of non-uniform product distributions

A method for the reproducible production of non-uniform distributions of polymolecular association clusters, each of said clusters comprising a plurality of a species A in association with a single species B, said association cluster arising from a reaction of the form ##STR2## wherein n is an integer, k.sup.1 is the rate of forward reaction, k.sup.-1 is the rate of reverse reaction, and k.sup.1 >>

• k.sup.-1, said method comprising:
• (a) mixing at a rate of P turnovers per minute a suspension of particles of species B at concentration C.sub.B in a suitable solvent of volume V in a vessel;
• (b) flowing a portion of said suspension through an isolated reaction zone at a rate r.sub.1 = QV per minute for x minutes where Q represents a proportion of the total vessel volume to be passed through said zone per minute, and X is (1/Q) E wherein E represents a number of cycles of full vessel volume to be passed through said isolated reaction zone;
• (c) introducing species A into said isolated reaction zone at a rate r.sub.2 = FC.sub.B V per minute, where F represents a desired mole ratio of reactant A to be added;
• and
• (d) returning said portion of said suspension including said introduced species A to said vessel, whereby a non-uniform distribution of polymolecular association clusters is formed;
• said constants E, F, P and Q being chosen such that E is a number from 0.01 to 100, F is a number from 10.sup.-8 to 10.sup.-1, P is a number from 0 to 100, and Q is a number from 0.001 to 10.