Apparatus and method for concurrent chemical synthesis
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a) a carousel that is rotatable around an axis, the carousel comprising a plurality of reaction mounts, each reaction mount comprising at least one reaction well arranged on a radius with respect to the axis, the radii spaced apart at equal angles, whereby the wells are arranged in at least one concentric circle around the axis;
b) a rotator that rotates the carousel step-wise around the axis, each incremental step docking each of the reaction mounts at a separate station;
c) a fluid delivery system that delivers liquid to at least one reaction well in each of a plurality of docked reaction mounts;
d) a drain system that drains liquid by differential pressure from at least one reaction well of each of a plurality of docked reaction mounts; and
e) a programmable digital computer that controls the rotator, the fluid delivery system and the drain system.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This invention provides an apparatus for preparing chemical libraries. The apparatus includes (1) a carousel comprising a plurality of reaction mounts having at least one reaction well; (2) a rotator that rotates the carousel step-wise; (3) a fluid delivery system; (4) a drain system; and (5) a programmable computer that controls the operation of the apparatus, including the rotator, the fluid delivery system, the drain system and other systems in the apparatus. The preparation-of chemical libraries involves rotating the carousel through a plurality of stations. At each station, a physical step in a reaction protocol is carried out on the reaction wells of the mount docked at the station.
-
Citations
46 Claims
-
1. An apparatus comprising:
-
a) a carousel that is rotatable around an axis, the carousel comprising a plurality of reaction mounts, each reaction mount comprising at least one reaction well arranged on a radius with respect to the axis, the radii spaced apart at equal angles, whereby the wells are arranged in at least one concentric circle around the axis;
b) a rotator that rotates the carousel step-wise around the axis, each incremental step docking each of the reaction mounts at a separate station;
c) a fluid delivery system that delivers liquid to at least one reaction well in each of a plurality of docked reaction mounts;
d) a drain system that drains liquid by differential pressure from at least one reaction well of each of a plurality of docked reaction mounts; and
e) a programmable digital computer that controls the rotator, the fluid delivery system and the drain system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46)
-
-
19. A method for performing in parallel a series of physical steps in a chemical reaction protocol, wherein the protocol generates a chemical linkage in a parent molecule, the method comprising:
-
a) providing a carousel that is rotatable around an axis, the carousel comprising a plurality of reaction mounts, each reaction mount comprising at least one reaction well arranged on a radius with respect to the axis, the radii spaced apart at equal angles, whereby the wells are arranged in at least one concentric circle around the axis, wherein each well comprises the parent molecule attached to a solid support;
b) rotating the carousel step-wise around the axis at least once, each incremental step docking each of the reaction mounts at a separate station, wherein (1) each station is dedicated to perform a physical step in the series during a docking, wherein the physical steps include adding a liquid to a well, draining a liquid from a well, and incubating; and
(2) the stations are arranged to perform the series of physical steps in sequence; and
c) performing, with each rotation of the carousel, the series of physical steps in a reaction well of each of at least two of the reaction mounts, whereby a chemical linkage is generated in the parent molecule.
-
-
45. A method for performing in parallel a series of physical steps in a chemical protocol, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a) providing a carousel that is rotatable around an axis, the carousel comprising a plurality of reaction mounts, each reaction mount comprising at least one reaction well arranged on a radius with respect to the axis, the radii spaced apart at equal angles, whereby the wells are arranged in at least one concentric circle around the axis, wherein each well comprises the parent molecule attached to a solid support;
b) providing a rotator that rotate the carousel step-wise around the axis, each incremental step docking the reaction mounts a station, wherein;
(1) each station is dedicated to perform a physical step in the series during a docking and (2) the stations are arranged in series from an initial station that performs an initial physical step in a series of physical steps in a chemical protocol to a final station that performs a final physical step in the series of physical steps;
c) performing an initial rotation of the carousel around the axis, wherein the stations begin to perform the series of physical steps as a reaction mount docks at the initial station; and
d) performing a final rotation of the carousel around the axis, wherein the stations cease to perform the series of physical steps as a reaction mount docks at the final station;
whereby the initial and final rotations result in one complete series of steps on a reaction well of each reaction mount.
-
Specification