SBIR Phase I: Analytical Control for Micro-Reactor

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段研究项目将开发拉曼光谱作为一种新型的分析工具，以监测和控制小规模反应器（微升到毫升）的化学。正在开发小规模反应器以：（1）创建新的化学反应过程;（2）增加现有过程的产率;以及（3）通过增加生产数量来取代扩大规模。这些反应器的快速优化和成功的工艺操作需要分析测量以实时（例如1分钟）识别和定量（+/-1%）所有反应物和产物，优选地不需要样品制备。本项目第一阶段将通过测量苯甲酸酯化反应过程中的反应物和产物来证明其可行性。通过酯化保护羧酸基团是药物合成过程中经常使用的反应。拉曼光谱将首先用于在各种条件下监测小规模反应器中的反应，然后使用实时数据来控制产率。如果成功，所提出的分析工具的开发将有助于小规模反应器的开发和使用。拟议的分析工具将销售给化学制造业，在那里它将帮助开发用于临床试验的新药（制药公司），开发用于燃料和润滑油的合成物（石化公司），以及开发更强更轻的复合材料（化学和制造公司）。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I research project will develop Raman spectroscopy as a novel analytical tool to monitor and control chemistry in small-scale reactors (microliter to milliliter). Small scale reactors are being developed to: (1) create new chemical reaction processes; (2) increase yields of existing processes; and, (3) replace scaling-up by numbering-up production. Rapid optimization and successful process operation of these reactors requires analytical measurements to identify and quantify (+/-1%) all reactants and products in real-time (e.g. 1 min), preferably without requiring sample preparation. This Phase I project will demonstrate feasibility by measuring reactants and products during the esterification of benzoic acid. Protecting carboxylic acid groups by esterification is an often-used reaction during the synthesis of pharmaceuticals. Raman spectroscopy will be first used to monitor this reaction in a small-scale reactor under a variety of conditions and then use the real-time data to control yieldIf successful the development of the proposed analytical tool will aid the development and use of small-scale reactors. The proposed analytical tool will be marketed to the Chemical Manufacturing Industry, where it will aid the development of new drugs for clinical trials (pharmaceutical companies), the development of synthetics used in fuels and lubricants (petrochemical companies), and the development of stronger-lighter composites (chemical and manufacturing companies).