Abstract
An automated synthesis robot was constructed by modifying an open source 3D printing platform. The resulting automated system was used to 3D print reaction vessels (reactionware) of differing internal volumes using polypropylene feedstock via a fused deposition modeling 3D printing approach and subsequently make use of these fabricated vessels to synthesize the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen via a consecutive one-pot three-step approach. The synthesis of ibuprofen could be achieved on different scales simply by adjusting the parameters in the robot control software. The software for controlling the synthesis robot was written in the python programming language and hard-coded for the synthesis of ibuprofen by the method described, opening possibilities for the sharing of validated synthetic ‘programs’ which can run on similar low cost, user-constructed robotic platforms towards an ‘open-source’ regime in the area of chemical synthesis.
Highlights
The rapid expansion of 3D-printing technologies in recent decades has been one of the most promising developments in the fields of science and engineering [1]
We present the modification of a RepRap 3D printer to incorporate liquid handling components such that it can act as a unitary chemical synthesis robot which is capable of fabricating (3D printing) a reaction vessel and subsequently performing the complete synthesis of the common drug ibuprofen
By modifying a relatively inexpensive 3D-printing platform we were able to construct a unitary ‘synthesis robot’ which is capable of autonomously fabricating a reaction vessel and performing the liquid handling steps necessary to effect the synthesis of the common painkiller ibuprofen
Summary
The rapid expansion of 3D-printing technologies in recent decades has been one of the most promising developments in the fields of science and engineering [1]. We present the modification of a RepRap 3D printer to incorporate liquid handling components such that it can act as a unitary chemical synthesis robot which is capable of fabricating (3D printing) a reaction vessel and subsequently performing the complete synthesis of the common drug ibuprofen. Taking all of these considerations into account the control software for the synthesis robot was designed to coordinate the movements of the 3D printer and liquid handling components in order to achieve the reaction vessel fabrication and chemical processing required for the synthesis of ibuprofen.
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