Two Approaches to Automated Solid Phase Synthesis of Small Organic Compound Arrays

Combinatorial techniques (for reviews see e.g.1) require new methods for automation of synthetic processes. Solid phase synthesis is optimal for automation, since the complicating factor of unique behavior of different organic molecules is replaced by the predictable behavior of the solid support. Instruments available on the market today are relatively complicated and expensive. An instrument that would be rather simple, therefore inexpensive, and would allow each chemist to synthesize hundreds or thousands of compounds would be welcome by a number of medicinal chemists. Such an instrument would be used for the deconvolution of active compounds from biologically active mixtures, synthesis of arrays of compounds for general screening, or for compound optimization, so called “lead explosion”.