ReactALL FAQs

Sampling

Theoretical Dilution factor is 96-97X (approx.).
Quench volume = 0.31 mL
Diluent volume = 0.945 mL
Sample volume = 0.013 mL

Calculation:

Step 1: Calculate Total Volume
Total Volume = Quench volume + Diluent volume + Sample volume
Total Volume = 0.31+0.945 + 0.013 = 1.268 mL

Step 2: Calculate Dilution Factor = Total Volume / Sample volume

𝐷𝐹 = 1.268/0.013; DF ≈ 97.54

Thick slurries can be effectively sampled by selecting specific Sampling Sequence Settings, shown as High/Difficult, which allow for a longer sample drawing duration. The consistency of the slurry influences the sample height, which is determined by the duration of the sample draw rather than by pressure.

The sample pocket in all ReactALL systems is fixed at 13 µL. However, if a specific dilution factor is required, Technobis can provide customized solutions upon request, after further discussion.

The duration of each step depends on the sampling sequence settings. Generally, the approximate durations are as follows:

  • Sample: 3 minutes 45 seconds
  • Rinse: 1 minute 50 seconds
  • Blank: 2 minutes 40 seconds

The software displays the exact duration for the Sample, Rinse, and Blank steps in the program.

The frit has a size of 10 microns, which effectively filters particles within this range.

When the sample is drawn, it enters a sample pocket within the SmartCap. As it fills the pocket, the quench solvent is added first, followed by the dilution solvent, which mixes with the sample and is directed into the HPLC vial. This vial, containing the sample, quench, and diluent, is now ready for HPLC analysis and can be directly placed in the HPLC. The vials are positioned on a tray compatible with most HPLC instruments, allowing the entire tray to be conveniently inserted into the HPLC for analysis.

Yes, ReactALL allows for a maximum of 18 samples per reactor. If more than 18 samples are required from a reactor, this can be done manually by pausing the experiment after 18 samples, removing the filled vials from the tray, adding empty vials, and scanning them again. After that, additional Sample steps can be added to the experiment program and continue the reaction.

The sampling process follows these steps while taking a sample:

  1. Purge with Nitrogen: The system flushes the reactor vial with nitrogen to create an inert environment and eliminate residual gases.
  2. Clean Sampling Tube with Nitrogen: The sampling tube is purged with nitrogen to maintain cleanliness.
  3. Rinse Sampling Tube Twice: Rinses the tube twice with the sample to fully condition it.
  4. Depressurize: Depressurizes the system to stabilize conditions prior to sampling.
  5. Draw Sample: Using a pressure-driven mechanism, the sample is collected under controlled conditions in the SmartCap’s sample pocket.
  6. Rotate Sample Valve: The sample is securely captured in the pocket.
  7. Quench-Dilute Sample: The sample is automatically transported with quench and dilute (96-97X) as quench and dilute solvents flow through the sample pocket.

A 10-micron filter can be attached at the end of the sampling tube to ensure particle-free sampling. Clogging is typically not an issue, as the pressure-driven sampling process maintains a smooth flow through the filter without build-up or blockage. However, clogging depends on the type of sample. Small particle sizes and thick slurries increase the chances of clogging. Additionally, samples that crystallize in the sample tube can also cause clogging.

The sampling process provides accurate sample collection, with a standard deviation (S.D.) of less than 1% of the sample volume for homogeneous samples.

Particles up to approximately 600 µm can be easily sampled in heterogenous mixtures without clogging the tubing.

Experiment

The maximum pressure at which a reaction can take place is limited by the pressure relief valve, which opens at 40 PSI (~2.8 bars). Please note that when a sample is taken, the pressure is lowered to ambient pressure.

Yes, it is recommended to keep the reflux function active during experiments because it helps maintain low vapor pressure by maintaining the reflux temperature, preventing solvent evaporation. The reflux function also prevents solvent loss that can occur due to depressurizing just before sampling and recompressing the reactor vial immediately after sampling.

The default reflux temperature is set to 5°C but can be adjusted between 0°C and 40°C, depending on the solvent’s boiling point and experimental conditions.

The temperature is controlled within a precision of ±0.5°C. The control loop ensures safety by preventing overheating. Additionally, the system is CE and CSA certified, meeting established safety standards.

All wetted materials are selected for their high chemical resistance. The key materials used are:

  • Tubing: PTFE and PFA
  • SmartCap body and system manifold: PTFE
  • O-rings (SmartCap): Kalrez FFKM
  • Metal parts/sample tube: Hastelloy C276
  • Helix stirrer: Inconel 718
  • Vials: Standard glassware

These materials are carefully chosen to withstand a wide range of chemicals, ensuring the longevity and safety of the system.

Yes, liquid can be automatically added using the DoseALL liquid dosing module. For gas reactions, the ports on the SmartCap can be used for manual gas feed, but this will require additional manual operation.

Yes, you can connect other inert gases, but it should be done with caution. Please note that the connected gas will be used to create an inert environment in the reaction vial, as well as for sample transport and purging the inner parts of the machine.

An external chiller is required only if the experiment temperature below -10°C needs to be reached.

The working volume is defined as 5 mL, and the system is factory calibrated for this volume. The minimum volume is around 3.5 mL, which is determined by the sample tube being immersed in the liquid. The sample tube should be at least 3 mm below the liquid level. The maximum volume is 8 mL; beyond this, the liquid may reach the reflux area of the vial, causing the temperature to differ from the set experimental temperature.

The camera magnification is fixed at 0.5X. Customized magnification options are available upon request.

The minimum volume is around 3.5 mL to ensure that the temperature probe is immersed in the solution.

The system is optimized for a working volume of 5 mL, and it is always recommended to use reflux ON.

The temperature inside the reactor can be measured using the Temperature Measurement Module (TMM). The TMM includes 5 probes (one for each reactor) and can be easily managed through ReactALL’s integrated software. You can watch the video tutorial How to use the temperature measurement module (TMM) for step-by-step guidance.

Note: Reactor temperature (Tr) control functionality will be available soon.

The Temperature Measurement Module (TMM) is already available and can be used to monitor the temperature inside the reactors. You can watch the video tutorial How to use the temperature measurement module (TMM) for step-by-step guidance on how it works.

Additionally, a pH probe is currently in development and will be available next year to enhance monitoring capabilities.

Yes, it is standard to perform a Rinse step after each Sample step, to maintain cleanliness and prevent cross-contamination between samples. If more cleaning is required, the Rinse sequence can be performed in multiple cycles to ensure thorough cleaning. Additionally, the software offers the option to increase the Rinse cycle time. To further assess potential cross-contamination, you can take a Blank sample to measure the presence of any cross-contamination.

Picking up the HPLC vials: Yes, the HPLC vials can be removed from the sample tray during the experiment, but not during the sampling sequence. After each sample sequence, the tray is moved to the Feedout position, where you can access and remove the HPLC vials. Avoid opening the lid while the tray carrier is moving, as this will stop the tray’s movement but will not pause/stop the experiment. Therefore, wait for the tray to reach its final position before removing the vial.

Picking up the reactor vial: If needed, the reactor vials/SmartCap can be removed during the experiment by pausing the process, but not during the sampling sequence. Additionally, the integrated cameras allow real-time monitoring of the reaction, making it easier to observe the reaction avoiding the need to remove the reactor vial during the experiment.

Yes, the experimental program can be modified mid-test. Simply pause the experiment, make the necessary edits to the remaining steps, then resume. When pausing the experiment, the system will notify the user when it’s safe to pause and edit. If a sampling step is in progress, the system will not pause until the sample step is completed.

Stirring/Mixing

The stirrers are made of Inconel 718, and the magnets are PTFE-coated to ensure chemical resistance and durability.

We recommend using a helix stirrer for most applications, especially when working with high-viscosity fluids or systems requiring efficient suspension of solids in thick media. Designed with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, the helical stirrer optimizes axial and radial flow to ensure uniform mixing in heterogeneous reactions involving solids and liquids, while preventing the risk of solid grinding.

An impeller stirrer is preferred when a Raman probe is employed. The impeller length is carefully designed to avoid interfering with Raman measurements.

Customized stirrers are available on request.

 

At the moment, as the standard, we recommend using the Inconel stirrer, which can be used many times and is easy to clean. Regarding the disposable stirrer, we are currently testing plastic versions. The replacement frequency will depend on the chemicals used. Further information will be updated and communicated accordingly.

The helical stirrer was specifically designed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. The detailed results of these simulations will be presented in an article that will be published by Pfizer.

This information will be soon available in an article which will be published by Pfizer.

 

 

The stirring is based on rotating magnetic field.

The stirring speed depends on a number of particular factors. However, a speed of 350 rpm is typically recommended. This avoids the creation of a big vortex and mixes suspensions well.

Science/Application

The ReactALL was benchmarked against 50mL, 100mL, and 200mL reactors, with the Mettler EasyMax being one of them. Pfizer has demonstrated that reactions conducted on the ReactALL and on a 200mL scale reactor yield comparable data. The results are available in this published article:  https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.oprd.4c00210

Additionally, a forthcoming article by Pfizer, in collaboration with Merck and Sanofi, will be published soon, highlighting the scalability of ReactALL and demonstrating the high-quality data it generates – comparable to that obtained with larger-scale reactors (200mL).

Yes, the ReactALL system is capable of handling reactions that require controlled drop acceleration, such as Grignard reactions. The integrated automated liquid dosing unit DoseALL allows for precise and gradual addition of reagents, effectively preventing side reactions. DoseALL is fully controllable via ReactALL’s integrated software, ensuring smooth and accurate operation throughout the experiment.

Yes, the ReactALL system is designed to handle corrosive substances like Nitric Acid due to the carefully selected Materials of Construction (MOC).

Below is a breakdown of the materials used in different components of ReactALL and their compatibility with Nitric Acid:

  • PTFE (Tubing, SmartCap, Manifold): ✅ compatible with Nitric Acid, highly resistant
  • PFA (Tubing): ✅compatible with Nitric Acid, highly resistant
  • Kalrez® FFKM (O-rings): ✅compatible with Nitric Acid, excellent chemical resistance
  • Hastelloy C276 (Metal Parts, Sample Tube): ✅ compatible with Nitric Acid, excellent corrosion resistance
  • Glassware (Vials): ✅compatible with Nitric Acid, inert and highly compatible
  • Inconel® 718 (Helix Stirrer): ⚠️ Fair resistance to Nitric Acid, but not optimal at high concentration and temperature. However, stirrers can be easily replaced if degradation occurs after prolonged use.

The ReactALL system has been rigorously tested across a variety of chemical reactions to evaluate its capability under different reaction conditions. Below is a list of chemistries successfully tested by multiple customers. However, this list is not exhaustive – ReactALL can accommodate many other reaction types beyond those listed.

Solid–Liquid Reactions

  • SNAr (Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution)
  • Amidation
  • Immobilized Enzyme Reactions
  • Pd-Catalyzed Coupling
  • General Acid/Base Reactions

Air-Sensitive Reactions

  • Pd C–O Coupling
  • Cu-Hydroxylation
  • Pd Suzuki Coupling
  • Pd C–N Coupling
  • Pd Heck Reaction
  • Liquid–Liquid Reactions

Hydrolase Reactions

  • Biphasic Suzuki Coupling
  • Biphasic Cu-Hydroxylation

Gas-Generating Reactions

  • Curtius Rearrangement with DPPA
  • Reductive Amination with NaBH₄
  • Deboc Reaction with TFA

SmartCap

During the ‘Detect SmartCap’ process, a small amount of pressure is applied to the SmartCap. After this pressure is applied, the system measures for any pressure loss over a 2-second period. If there is a loss of pressure, it indicates that the SmartCap was not properly detected. If no pressure loss occurs, it confirms that the SmartCap has been properly detected.

A pressure relief valve of the SmartCap detects pressure via a spring-loaded mechanism calibrated to a set pressure i.e. 40 psi (2.8 bars) only for safety reasons. When the reaction pressure exceeds this limit, the valve opens to release excess pressure, then reseals once normal levels are restored. However, the internal pressure of the vial itself cannot be monitored by the system.

Cleaning

The Clean SmartCap function cleans the SmartCap, which includes the sample pocket and the inner surface of the sample tube, using a rinse liquid. After rinsing, the line is blown out with nitrogen to dry. The process is pressure- and time-driven, utilizing approximately 1.5 mL of rinse liquid per cycle. If needed, multiple cleaning steps can be executed for thorough cleaning.

See the video tutorial How to clean the SmartCap of the ReactALL system for step-by-step guidance on cleaning the SmartCap.

The exterior of the tubing and needle does not require cleaning, as there is no leakage or liquid flow outside the tubes, ensuring they remain uncontaminated. However, the Rinse Lines option in the Sampling tab facilitates the internal cleaning of QDR bottle tubing and the needle. This process involves rinsing the SmartCap tubing, including the needle, with rinse liquid, followed by a nitrogen blowout to ensure thorough cleaning.

See the video tutorial How to clean the SmartCap of the ReactALL system for step-by-step guidance on cleaning the SmartCap.

Dosing with DoseALL

Yes, with the ReactALL system, solutions can be added to the reactor vial either manually or via the dosing unit DoseALL, allowing for controlled additions during the test.

Services

The ReactALL system, including its external Temperature Measurement Module (TMM), requires calibration annually.

Troubleshooting/Errors

Please send an email to support@reactall.com.

The bad response error indicates that one of the sensors of filling the loops didn’t respond as expected. Click on Replace QDR bottles and ensure they are properly detected.

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