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 di scuss the hardware and the chromatographic configuration required for the s creening and optimization of a Suzuki coupling reaction. The reactions were done in a STEM block and the samples were transferred to a Zymark BenchMat e workstation for further sample preparation which included dilution and fi ltration. The treated samples were then analyzed by a HPLC system that was directly connected to the BenchMate workstation. Finally, the chromatograph ic system was configured so that data can be shared between Synthetic Chemi stry and the Environmental Research Laboratory Via SE internal network. Thi s automated approach has the potential for accelerating drug development an d process optimization in Chemical Development. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.