Acquisition of Equipment for High-Throughput Experimentation

通过化学研究仪器和设施：多用户（CRIF:MU）项目的奖励，来自伊利诺伊大学香槟分校的Steven Zimmerman教授和他的同事John Hartwig将获得一个高通量实验（HTE）系统。该提案旨在加强各级的研究培训和教育，特别是在以下研究领域：(a)利用主要基团化合物的催化反应，(b)过渡金属催化反应的发现和机理分析，(c)化学传感器系统的高通量开发，(d)发现生物活性有机分子，(e)发现结合RNA的有机分子。高通量实验系统结合了机器人技术、数据处理和控制软件以及各种不同的技术，以自动化的方式合成、分析和筛选多种反应条件和结果，否则将需要大量的单独实验。通过对物理和化学变量进行网格采样，该技术节省了时间，能够以组合方式进行反应，在化学和生物系统中非常有用，特别是在催化研究中。拟议的HTE设备将用于通过研究和正式课程教学来教育学生，并作为外联活动的一部分。此外，该系统将被一些特殊项目的参与者使用，这些项目将把代表性不足的群体带到校园，比如斯奈德学者项目。此外，该系统将用于化学专业学生在高级实验课程中进行的实验室实验，以及由参加美国国家科学基金会资助的数学和科学伙伴关系的EnLIST计划的高中教师进行的短期实验课程。最后，该系统将为伊利诺斯州高通量设施内的合成化学家创造一种能力，该设施已建立为附近本科院校成员的开放设施。

With this award from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities: Multi-user (CRIF:MU) program, Professor Steven Zimmerman and colleague John Hartwig from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will acquire a high-throughput experimentation (HTE) system. The proposal is aimed at enhancing research training and education at all levels, especially in areas of study such as (a) catalytic reactions exploiting main group compounds, (b) discovery and mechanistic analysis of transition metal-catalyzed reactions, (c) high-throughput development of chemical sensor systems, (d) discovery of biologically active organic molecules, and (e) discovery of organic molecules that bind RNA.A high-throughput experimentation system incorporates robotics, data processing and control software as well as a variety of different technologies to synthesize, analyze and screen multiple reaction conditions and outcomes in an automated way that otherwise would require a multitude of individual experiments. By entailing grid-based sampling of physical and chemical variables, the technique saves time and is capable of carrying out reactions in a combinatorial manner and is useful in chemical and biological systems and especially for studies in catalysis. The proposed HTE equipment will be used to educate students through both research and formal course instruction and as part of outreach activities. In addition, the system will be used by participants in special programs that bring underrepresented groups to campus, such as the Snyder Scholars Program. Furthermore, the system will be used in laboratory experiments that will be conducted by chemistry majors in an advanced laboratory course and in a short laboratory course conducted by high school teachers who participate in the NSF-funded EnLIST program of the Math and Science Partnerships. Finally, the system will create a capability for synthetic chemists within the High Throughput Facility at Illinois, which has been established as an open facility for members of nearby undergraduate institutions.