Device for carrying out chemical reactions under homogenous and heterogenous conditions

A device for carrying out selective hydrogenation of azide and peroxide compounds under homogenous and heterogeneous conditions comprising:

• a tubular housing which comprises a reaction tube having a wall with at least one inlet end and at least one outlet end to allow for transport of reaction medium comprising azide or peroxide compounds through the reaction tube between the inlet and outlet ends thereof,
• at least one porous element positioned between the inlet and outlet ends of the reaction tube, wherein the at least one porous element consists of a solid foamy structure, wherein
• the reaction tube and the at least one porous element are a one-piece structure, and wherein
• the at least one porous element has a porosity εbetween 0.6 and 0.95 and comprises a framework of interconnected elements establishing a plurality of shells respectively defining a plurality of hollow spaces having a substantially sphere-shaped geometrical configuration with an average diameter of 1 to 20 mm, the plurality of hollow spaces being arranged in an array whereby an individual hollow space is bounded by a plurality of adjacent hollow spaces, and wherein
• the shells include a plurality of substantially circular holes each having an average diameter of 0.01 to 5 mm that fluid-connect the plurality of adjacent substantially sphere-shaped hollow spaces of the porous element to thereby form an interconnected network that allows cross-flow of the azide or peroxide compounds of the reaction medium through the substantially sphere-shaped hollow spaces of the porous element as the reaction flows between the inlet and outlet ends of the reaction tube.