Reaction screening and optimization by an automated workstation-based system

The shortening of drug development timelines has caused SmithKline Beecham Chemical Development to rethink its strategies for product development. One approach has been to incorporate robotics and automation with statistical experimental design into new drug development paradigms. This paper will discuss the hardware and the chromatographic configuration required for the screening and optimization of a Suzuki coupling reaction. The reactions were done in a STEM block and the samples were transferred to a Zymark BenchMate workstation for further sample preparation which included dilution and filtration. The treated samples were then analyzed by a HPLC system that was directly connected to the BenchMate workstation. Finally, the chromatographic system was configured so that data can be shared between Synthetic Chemistry and the Environmental Research Laboratory via SB internal network. This automated approach has the potential for accelerating drug development and process optimization in Chemical Development. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Lab Robotics and Automation 11: 186–192, 1999