Today, air and water sensitive reagents are purchased as dilute solutions in hermetically sealed bottles that arrive to the researcher with unknown concentrations requiring titration before each use. In addition to this labor burden, these materials are fire/safety hazards as most labs store large volumes of these reagents. These challenges are minor compared to costs and time lost due to poor reproducibility with these reagents. Minor concentration deviations and byproducts present can cause major changes to the chemistry, ranging from lower yields to failed reactions to entirely different outcomes. The irreproducibility associated with this class of reagents not only increases costs but more importantly, decreases rate of new discoveries.<br/>We propose a system that produces critical reagents on-demand from shelf stable precursors yielding fresh materials with known properties safely. We are doing for chemistry what automated-cartridge-based coffee machines have done for coffee. By designing the right chemistry, the right packaging and the right low-cost system components, we propose that a cartridge-based chemistry approach will be realized. The researcher will receive shelf-stable cartridges, load them into the low cost machine press go and receive a defined reagent immediately. Beyond being an excellent new tool for the traditional laboratory, we propose that this type of single use system would be ideal for preparing reagents in austere environments such as a space station or on another planet.<br/>Our presentation will cover the challenges associated with creating an on-demand reagent system and our success thus far.

On-demand reagents

2019 Spring National Meeting

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.