T2: Enabling Technologies for Synthesis.
Lead by Steve Christie and Richard Bourne.
Aim: to promote the development and use of automated reaction and analysis systems to understand and enable synthesis.
Interest groups
T2.1 Rapid Reaction Analysis – led by Jordi Bures & Ulrich Hintermair
T2.2 Automated Experimentation & Optimisation – led by Richard Bourne
T2.3 Modular & Customisable Reactor Systems – led by Steve Christie
T2.4 Flow Chemistry & Reaction Engineering – led by Alexei Lapkin
T2.5 Emerging Reactor Technologies – led by Duncan Browne
T2.6 Providing Accessibility of Enabling Technologies – led by Becky Greenaway
The use of automated systems is critical to both producing the quality and quantity of data needed for D-a-M, and for the repeatable and sequencable synthesis needed. Synthetic chemistry needs to embrace new ways to carry out and monitor reactions. Although there are advanced reaction platform technologies available (both commercially and developed by groups engaged with Dial-a-Molecule) and benefits have been proven, there are still barriers to overcome before their wider adoption, with the cost of acquisition of commercially produced platforms a significant factor. To advance the themes above we will:
(i) Create a virtual pool of advanced reaction platforms that can be accessible by members and ultimately the wider synthetic chemistry community by linking laboratories which develop and / or possess automated equipment with potential end-user groups and brokering access (e.g. using Interdisciplinary Mobility funding). We will also help to disseminate case studies to demonstrate the advantages of automation.
(ii) Provide forums for suppliers and potential users of equipment and software to interact (e.g. our Technology Showcase meetings, and though continued interaction with the UK Automated Synthesis Forum).
(iii) Run meetings to expose current trends and recent developments in the above areas, identify opportunities, and link developers and users together to form consortia to develop grant applications to advance and apply the technology.
(iv) If cost viable, fund deployment of systems in a range of ‘user’ laboratories to help build the case for commercialisation or further development.