FI111342B - A synthesizer - Google Patents

Description

, 111342

The present invention relates to a synthesizer apparatus, and more particularly to a multi-use modular synthesizer apparatus for performing a variety of chemical syntheses.

Syntheses have been done for a very long time, first with primitive instruments and very long time with manual laboratory instruments. Today, however, numerous semi-automatic or fully automatic devices have become available on the market, enabling the syntheses for which they are intended to be performed quickly and reliably.

Laboratory work involves a great variety of work. The difference may be due to the number of compounds to be synthesized, but equally and often to their quality. Often, the equipment also has various uses, such as teaching and training use, or then purposeful work to synthesize a particular compound.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution for performing the multiple tasks described above in a flexible and highly adaptable manner. This is accomplished by an apparatus whose characteristic features are set forth in the appended claims.

In short, the apparatus of this invention automates chemical synthesis. In particular, it is novel that the same basic unit is suitable for 25 different chemical syntheses, and that individual devices can be connected to a network of multiple synthesizers to accelerate synthesis and process development and, on the other hand, to allow larger materials to be produced simultaneously on multiple devices.

The invention will also be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show some embodiments of the synthesizer of the invention.

Thus: NSDOCID: <FI 111342B1 I> 2 111342

Figure 1 shows a structure of a synthesizer according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows the apparatus comprising one synthesizer module and the computer required by it; 5

Figure 3 shows a hardware assembly and a control computer formed by a plurality of synthesizer modules; and

Figure 4 shows an alternative in which the synthesizers are distributed to multiple users; 10 one, two, or three installations per user.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference, where appropriate, to the drawings referred to above. The parts of the synthesizer can be roughly divided into two groups, the basic module and the additional modules.

15

Basic module of synthesizer

It is known that all synthesis equipment has common features, such as reactor temperature control, addition of materials to the reactor and removal of various reagents from the 20 reactors. In the present invention, these common features are assembled in a specific fixed part of a device, which is herein described as a base module. In addition, the device includes at least one method-specific removable, removable part called an additional module.

25 The common basic module section includes eg. the following components for joint operations; - electronics, - accessory capability, - internal, controlled heating and cooling methods based on known methods (resistance heating, thermoelectric cooling / heating, etc.), transfer, - syringe units and pumps for adding liquid, BNSDOCID: <F | 111342B1 I> 3 111342 - Liquid transfer lines, - Capacity for use with various measuring sensors (eg pH, etc.), - Computer connection, and - Prescription-based software for use with one or more devices.

5

The reactor and its auxiliaries are interchangeable and mounted on a removable front panel. Exchanges are needed when very different syntheses are made.

Examples of synthesis-specific front panels may be, for example: 10 1) Solid phase synthetics (combinatorial synthesis).

In this case, a conventional magnetic stirrer which grinds the solid support too finely cannot be used. Thus, in this version, a reversible stirrer can be used and the reactions are usually carried out at room temperature or under pressure at elevated temperature without the use of condensers.

15 2) Traditional solution phase synthesis.

In conventional synthesis, magnetic mixing is the easiest and most suitable form of mixing. A vertical condenser and / or a distillation condenser is also often used to provide a cooling circuit from the system's own cooling system. Also attached to this front panel 20 is a solid addition device which is performed by screw screws or batch-based single doses or by other suitable means.

3) Finding reaction conditions and phase separations.

When repeating the same reaction, e.g., optimizing the reaction conditions, a reactor with a bottom valve / agitator combination that allows the vessel to be emptied automatically is required. This reactor is also required when the equipment is subjected to phase separation after washing.

The invention can be applied to many different situations, as mentioned above.

The apparatus according to the invention can be used, for example, to form a synthesizer network consisting of discrete modules.

Powerful and versatile research devices are typically difficult to use and usually require one or more users familiar with the equipment.

3NSDOCID: <FI 111342B1 | > 4111342

In addition, large equipment is almost completely unusable in the event of a breakdown and a long period of service or repair. These factors, of course, reduce the effective operating time and the results obtained by the device.

5

One simplified basic configuration of the device according to the invention is shown in Fig. 1, which shows a model for a synthesizer module. The integral part 1 comprises the electronics 3, the actuators 4 and the reagent tray 5. The replaceable part 2 contains the reactor 6 itself and its accessories 7.

According to the present invention, the use of a single device or a device network of multiple devices is equally simple. When a new device is connected to the network, it only opens its own operating window identical to the other devices. Even when in the network, as illustrated in Figure 3, all devices synthesize Ö act as individuals and are only controlled via the same computer 9.

It is also an advantage of the present invention that the buyer can first acquire a single device by investing a relatively small amount of money in it and test its functionality in practice. This situation is illustrated in Figure 2 with only one synthesis 20 module 8 and a computer 9 controlling it. It is then safe to increase the number of devices according to the research need and to end up with the network solution of Figure 3 as described above if one is needed.

In a multi-device network, when one synthesizer malfunctions, it is disconnected from the network for service, while the others operate as before. In this way, there is only one part of interruptions in work and the time and financial losses are minimal.

The device network is well suited for synthesis development because each device's synthesis pairs of 30 meters (temperature, addition rate, mixing rate, etc.) are independent of each other. On the other hand, if needed in larger amounts than any substance, all network synthesizers can be made to do the same synthesis.

BNSDOCID: <FI 11134351 | > 5 11T342

A very important feature of this invention is also that in a research group a smaller set of devices can be made available to an individual researcher to carry out a subproject. Similarly, during the training phase, one device may be in the mind of a new user for the time needed while the other devices are in active research.

Figure 4 illustrates the division of an assembly of equipment into units of one, two and three synthesizers, as can be clearly seen in the figure.

10 iNSDOCID: <FI 111342B1 I>

Claims (5)

Synthesizer plant comprising a computer (9) or equivalent for controlling chemical syntheses and the actual synthesizer (8) to effect and perform a desired chemical reaction, characterized in that the synthesizer (8) is divided into a fixed base unit or - module (1) with means (3, 4, 5) for performing basic functions, such as pre-temperature control, processing of reagents, such as dilutions, additives and transfers, and a connection to the computer device (9) containing a program, and to a a separate replaceable additional unit or module (2) containing means (6, 7), such as the actual reactor and its additional equipment, such as a mixer, cooler, discharge or any other valve or any other necessary auxiliary means, for carrying out reactions dependent of the auction to be performed. 2. Synthesizer plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the basic module (1) contains means for, for example, pre-temperature regulation, addition and dilution of reagents, a computer connection and readiness for mounting additional devices. Synthesizer plant according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a program, in particular a prescription-based program, for the use of one or more devices. 4. Synthesizer plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional module (2) is in the form of a replaceable reaction panel containing the various components needed for the synthesis in question. Synthesizer plant according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that there is one or more synthesizers (8) connected to the computer unit and that one or more of them can be used to perform the same synthesis or that each synthesis unit can be used to perform its own task as a separate unit. BNS DOCID: <FI 111342B1 I>