Syrris’ Asia flow chemistry system is proving a valuable aid to synthesis projects performed by the Ley Group at the Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge.

Catherine Carter, a Ph.D. student working with Professor Steven Ley, explained: “We use the Asia flow chemistry system for work targeted at the synthesis of a natural product, and it is essential that we are able to undertake multi-step processes. The modular design of the Asia system is very helpful, allowing us to rearrange it into different configurations to suit whatever multi-step synthesis sequence we need to perform.

The major advantage of the Asia system is the accuracy of its pumps at low flow rates – as low as 1 µL/min – which allows us to perform flow reactions on milligram quantities of material, and the flexibility to change syringes enables anything from very small scale to large scale synthesis to be achieved. It is very easy to exclude water from the system, allowing organometallic reactions to be set up more rapidly. The pressurized inlet for the pumps is also extremely useful for these reactions – pumping organometallic compounds can be problematic in flow chemistry – giving us the confidence to try things that we would not previously have attempted and helping to reduce failure rates.”