High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) silica gel plates as a medium for on-surface organic synthesis and biological screening

Abstract

This paper explores the use of high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) silica gel plates as a reaction medium for on-surface, solvent-free organic synthesis. New applications of HPTLC that go beyond its traditional role as a separation method are presented. By leveraging the catalytic activity of silica gel, the concept of derivatization on TLC silica gel plates is extended to on-surface organic syntheses of target molecules. The possibilities of using (HP)TLC plates not only as a stationary phase but also as a catalyst and dehydrating agent in organic synthesis, as effective platforms for modifying organic compounds and for full synthesis are explored. Special attention is given to on-surface synthesis of compound libraries hyphenated with in situ biological detection and targeted bioactivity screening of activity via bioassays. The integration of biological testing directly on the plates streamlines the workflow, making it a powerful tool for discovering new biologically active molecules. Additionally, the paper highlights the potential applications in pharmaceutical analysis, particularly for quality control and study of possible impurities, markers, and reference compounds.