Benchtop reaction screening instrument with automated sampling

Process chemists spend up to twelve hours setting up their reaction sets for screening and analysis. Industry 4.0 technology can reduce that time significantly, as laboratory scientists use automation to complete phases of their research through the nights and weekends.

Now, Laboratory technology developer Technobis has released ReactALL, a benchtop multiple reactor system for medium throughput experimentation, helping scientists tap into the under-utilised nights and weekends. Available globally now, ReactALL uses integrated automated sampling technology to accelerate chemical reaction screening, optimisation, route scouting, reaction profiling and kinetics. ReactALL addresses the gap between high throughput and low throughput screening to provide high-quality, data rich results with low material needs.

Technobis’ new instrument, developed with scientific input from Pfizer, uses proprietary SmartCap technology to sample, quench and dilute directly into commercial standard HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) vials. Reaction setup is fast, taking less than 30 minutes with ReactALL. 

The system comprises five small-scale reactors, each equipped with fully automated sampling. Representative samples are immediately quenched, diluted, and transferred to standard HPLC vials on the ReactALL. The sample and dilution volumes are precisely controlled by the system for quantitative analysis.  Wide bore tubing and streamlined pump-free fluidics assure robust sample transfer, even for heterogeneous samples. And the novel SmartCap sampling technology does not pierce reactor septa, so there are no pierced holes for losing solvent.  

Accelerating in-depth chemical understanding is a key goal of the ReactALL. Such data-rich experiments can translate to significant time saving, and thus money. Screening reactions for the best reagents, catalysts and conditions; optimising reaction yield, selectivity and impurity control; mechanistic profiling; ReactALL obtains high quality results early in drug development to allow chemists to draw the right conclusions, as early as possible. 

ReactALL possesses multiple features that enhance reaction scientists’ investigation capabilities. Colour cameras, integrable Raman spectroscopy probes, provide crucial information on physical and chemical state changes, such as dissolution and precipitation, colour changes, and much more. ReactALL uses overhead stirring design specifically with the aid of Computational Fluid Dynamics to closely recreate mixing properties conferred by mechanical agitators, and poorly captured by magnetic stir bars.

ReactALL could run reactions and automatically take, quench and dilute samples into HPLC vials. A pre-loaded SmartCap can be loaded in ReactALL while a robotic arm could then transport your sample vial trays to the HPLC machine. The chemist would need only 30 minutes for setting up the reactions and the next day, they already have the HPLC data.