Molecular Synthesis Laboratory

The What, Why, Who, and How of the Synthesis Laboratory

In our efforts to generate liquid fuels from sunlight and CO₂, CHASE researchers need key chemicals such as catalysts, catalyst intermediates, semiconductor modifiers, and model compounds. A dedicated staff scientist, Dr. Stephen Tereniak, has designed, built, and occupies CHASE’s Molecular Synthesis Facility.

Synthetic Resources

It’s Not Voodoo - https://www.chem.rochester.edu/notvoodoo/

  • Organic chemistry synthesis website by Alison Frontier at the University of Rochester

Purification of Laboratory Chemicals, Eighth Edition (Book by Wilfred L.F. Armarego with prior editions also by Christina Chai, Imprint by Butterworth-Heinemann, copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc.)

Inorganic Syntheses - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781119477822

  • A book series compiling inorganic (including organometallic, main group, and ligand) synthetic procedures. The synthetic procedures are checked at the bench by independent researchers (whose names also appear in the procedures) prior to publication. Safety information is provided. The most recent volume (vol. 37) was published in 2018.

Organic Syntheses - http://www.orgsyn.org/

  • Published by a non-profit corporation, Organic Syntheses provides organic compound synthetic procedures that are checked for reproducibility in the laboratory of a member of the Board of Editors. Starting in 2015, key features of procedures have been captured with photographs.

SciFinder - https://scifinder.cas.org

  • Database that allows a variety of queries related to chemicals and chemical reactions, including structure searching:

Reaxys - https://www.reaxys.com

  • Another chemical/reaction database, like SciFinder.

Click the molecule to read more!

Nitrogen Atmosphere Glovebox – Three glove MBraun Unilab Pro.

For the storage and synthesis of air- and moisture-sensitive chemicals. Includes a cold well and a -35° C freezer.

Automated Flash Chromatography System – Biotage Selekt.

Automated fraction collector with UV-Vis detector monitoring, two channels and three collection racks available, and optional mobile phase gradient creation based on TLC results. Normal silica, amino silica, and C18 silica prepacked cartridges available.

Solvent Purification System – Manufactured by Pure Process Technology.

For dispensing of dry solvents under an argon atmosphere. Includes THF, diethyl ether, acetonitrile, methylene chloride, and toluene.