U.S. patent application number 10/265869 was filed with the patent office on 2003-05-08 for apparatus and method of research for creating and testing novel catalysts, reactions and polymers.
This patent application is currently assigned to Symyx Technologies, Inc.. Invention is credited to Dales, G. Cameron, Nielsen, Ralph B., Safir, Adam, Turner, Howard W., VanErden, Lynn.
Application Number | 20030086822 10/265869 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26763763 |
Filed Date | 2003-05-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030086822 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Turner, Howard W. ; et
al. |
May 8, 2003 |
Apparatus and method of research for creating and testing novel
catalysts, reactions and polymers
Abstract
A method and system for researching and developing and/or
optimizing new catalysts and products in a combinatorial manner is
disclosed. The method begins with starting components or a ligand
library and provides methods of creating catalyst or product
libraries, which are then tested in a reaction of interest. The
system uses methods of robotic handling for moving libraries from
station to station. The method and apparatus are especially useful
for synthesizing, screening, and characterizing combinatorial
catalyst libraries, but also offer significant advantages over
conventional experimental methods as well.
Inventors: |
Turner, Howard W.;
(Campbell, CA) ; VanErden, Lynn; (Livermore,
CA) ; Dales, G. Cameron; (Saratoga, CA) ;
Safir, Adam; (Berkeley, CA) ; Nielsen, Ralph B.;
(San Jose, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SENNIGER POWERS LEAVITT AND ROEDEL
ONE METROPOLITAN SQUARE
16TH FLOOR
ST LOUIS
MO
63102
US
|
Assignee: |
Symyx Technologies, Inc.
Santa Clara
CA
|
Family ID: |
26763763 |
Appl. No.: |
10/265869 |
Filed: |
October 7, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
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Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10265869 |
Oct 7, 2002 |
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09620310 |
Jul 19, 2000 |
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6508984 |
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09620310 |
Jul 19, 2000 |
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09227558 |
Jan 8, 1999 |
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60080652 |
Apr 3, 1998 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
422/67 ;
422/65 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01J 2219/00313
20130101; G01N 35/085 20130101; B01J 19/26 20130101; B01J
2219/00351 20130101; B01J 2219/00689 20130101; G01N 30/30 20130101;
G01N 30/466 20130101; B01J 2219/0031 20130101; B01D 15/1871
20130101; B01J 2219/00738 20130101; G01N 30/6052 20130101; G01N
30/461 20130101; B01D 15/12 20130101; Y10T 436/11 20150115; B01D
15/08 20130101; B01D 15/14 20130101; B01J 2219/00274 20130101; G01N
2030/8886 20130101; B01J 2219/00452 20130101; G01N 30/02 20130101;
C40B 40/18 20130101; B01D 15/26 20130101; G01N 2030/885 20130101;
B01J 2219/00495 20130101; B01J 2219/00587 20130101; Y10T 436/25
20150115; B01J 2219/0059 20130101; G01N 30/24 20130101; G01N 30/60
20130101; G01N 30/88 20130101; B01J 2219/00691 20130101; G01N
2030/324 20130101; B01D 15/34 20130101; B01J 2219/00585 20130101;
B01J 2219/00707 20130101; B01J 2219/00722 20130101; G01N 30/90
20130101; G01N 30/466 20130101; B01J 19/0046 20130101; B01D 15/34
20130101; B01J 2219/00704 20130101; G01N 30/02 20130101; G01N 30/54
20130101; B01J 2219/00283 20130101; G01N 2035/1058 20130101; G01N
33/44 20130101; B01J 2219/00308 20130101; G01N 2015/0288 20130101;
G01N 2015/0294 20130101; B01J 2219/00335 20130101; B01D 15/265
20130101; B01J 2219/00745 20130101; C40B 40/14 20130101; G01N
15/0205 20130101; B01J 2219/00596 20130101; G01N 30/16 20130101;
B01D 15/325 20130101; B01J 2219/00344 20130101; G01N 30/90
20130101; G01N 35/1097 20130101; B01J 2219/00337 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
422/67 ;
422/65 |
International
Class: |
G01N 033/00 |
Claims
1. A system for the research or development of catalysts or
polymers comprising: a storage area comprising two or more starting
components; a combining station that receives said starting
components and combines said starting components in different
ratios; a reaction station that receives said different ratios of
starting components and subjects said different ratios of starting
components to a reaction of interest in parallel under reaction
conditions thereby forming a product library of non-biological
polymers; a daughtering station adapted to receive a sample of one
or more of the non-biological polymer products from said product
library to form a daughter library of non-biological polymers; and,
a screening station equipped to receive the product or daughter
library of non-biological polymers and screen said library for a
property of interest.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a filtering station
between said combining station and reaction station.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transport system for
transporting starting components or libraries from station to
station.
4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control system for
controlling or monitoring said system.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein said control system collects data
from said screening station and stores such data in a database.
6. The system of claim 4, wherein said control system synchronizes
the movement of plates in which said libraries are contained from
one station to another.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein said screening station is
equipped to screen at least a portion the product or daughter
library of non-biological polymers for molecular weight.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein said screening station is
equipped to screen at least a portion of the product or daughter
library of non-biological polymers for particle size.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein said screening station is
equipped to screen at least a portion of the product or daughter
library of non-biological polymers using Infrared thermography,
Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, thin layer chromatography,
mass spectroscopy, gas chromatography or nuclear magnetic
resonance.
Description
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 09/620,310, filed Jul. 19, 2000, which is a divisional of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/227,558, filed Jan. 8, 1999,
both of which are incorporated herein by reference and both of
which claim the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.
60/080,652, filed Apr. 3, 1998, the teachings of which are also
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates to the field of research for
new catalysts or polymers or processes for making polymers. More
particularly, this invention is directed toward an apparatus and
method of performing homogeneous and supported homogeneous
catalysis and related techniques for rapidly creating and testing
catalyst libraries prepared by combinatorial techniques. This
invention is also directed toward an apparatus and method for
making polymers using combinatorial techniques.
[0004] 2. Discussion
[0005] Combinatorial chemistry has revolutionized the process of
drug discovery. See, for example, 29 Ace. Chem. Res. 1-170 (1996);
97 Chem. Rev. 349-509 (1997); S. Borman, Chem. Eng. News 43-62
(Feb. 24, 1997); A. M. Thayer, Chem. Eng. News 57-64 (Feb. 12,
1996); N. Terret, 1 Drug Discovery Today 402 (1996)). Because of
its success in eliminating the synthesis bottleneck in drug
discovery, many researchers have come to narrowly view
combinatorial methods as tools for creating structural diversity.
Few researchers have emphasized that, during synthesis, variations
in temperature, pressure, ionic strength, and other process
conditions can strongly influence the resulting properties of
library members. For example, reaction conditions are particularly
important in formulation chemistry and polymer chemistry, where one
combines a set of components under different reaction conditions or
concentrations to determine their influence on product
properties.
[0006] Recently, combinatorial approaches have been used for
discovery programs unrelated to drugs. Combinatorial materials
science generally refers to the methods for creating a collection
of chemically diverse compounds or materials and to methods for
rapidly testing or screening this library of compounds or materials
for desirable performance characteristics and properties. For
example, some researchers have recognized that combinatorial
strategies offer promise for the discovery of inorganic compounds
such as high-temperature superconductors, magnetoresistive
materials, luminescent materials, and catalytic materials. See, for
example, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/327,513
"The Combinatorial Synthesis of Novel Materials" (published as WO
96/11878) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,359, which are both herein
incorporated by reference. Compared to traditional discovery
methods, combinatorial methods sharply reduce the costs associated
with preparing and screening each candidate material.
[0007] Some combinatorial research into catalysis and polymer
formation has begun. See U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/898,715 "Combinatorial Synthesis and Analysis of Organometallic
Compounds and Catalysts" (published as WO 98/03251). The following
articles discuss one or more combinatorial techniques in
conjunction with catalysis, and each are incorporated herein by
reference: Senkan, Nature, vol 394, pp. 350-353 (Jul. 23, 1998);
Burgess et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Eng., 1996, 35, No. 2, pp.
220-222; Maier et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Eng., 1998, 37, No.
19, pp. 2644-2647; Reetz et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Eng., 1998,
37, No. 19, pp. 2647-2650; Schlogl, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Eng.,
1998, 37, No. 17, pp. 2333-2336; Morken et al., Science, vol. 280,
pp. 267-270 (Apr. 10, 1998); and Gilbertson et al., Tetrahedron
Letters, vol. 37, no. 36, pp. 6475-6478 (1996).
[0008] What is needed is a combinatorial method and apparatus for
the research, discovery and development of catalysts and polymers.
This invention advances the field by providing an entire system,
beginning with a ligand library or a set of reactants and ending
with screens for performance, with a variety of reaction and
screening options.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] This invention provides methods and apparatus for performing
the combinatorial synthesis of libraries and screening of those
combinatorial libraries. This invention gives those of skill in the
art a variety of synthesis and screening techniques so that a
complete combinatorial discovery or optimization research and
development program can be successfully implemented for many
different reactions, including all types of polymerizations or
small molecule catalysis. The broadest concept of the methodology
is that a library is created that is screened for a property or
compound of interest. The libraries that are created depend on the
reaction of interest, but are typically either catalyst libraries
or product libraries. This invention provides a number of
embodiments for performing such synthesis and screening and the
embodiments may be combined together.
[0010] One embodiment of the present invention is a method and
apparatus for researching for novel catalysts by starting with a
ligand library that includes a plurality of member ligands. In the
ligand library (also referred to as a parent ligand library) each
ligand member may have a common scaffold, but will vary in
structural diversity. The ligand library may also include ligand
members that have different scaffolds. The important point is that
the ligand library includes ligand members that are different from
each other by either scaffold or structural diversity or both.
Optionally, one or more daughter libraries are created from the
parent ligand library by taking one or more aliquots from one or
more member ligands in said ligand library. For example, each
daughter library may be considered to be a replica of the ligand
library, but each daughter ligand member would be smaller than the
parent ligand member in terms of either volume or moles or mass. At
least one metal precursor is added to at least a portion of the
members of the ligand libraries or daughter libraries to create one
or more catalyst libraries. The catalyst library is subjected to a
reaction of interest. The reaction of interest may be a reaction
that creates a product library. For example, if the reaction of
interest is a polymerization reaction, a polymer library will be
the result. Alternatively, the reaction of interest may be a screen
for activity. The reaction of interest can have process conditions
that are combinatorialized, such as varying amounts of reactants or
different conditions (such as time, temperature, pressure,
atmosphere, etc.). The method optionally provides different
screening stages, such as a primary screen to eliminate some
members from a library from going on to a secondary screen.
[0011] In another embodiment, mixtures of starting components (such
as ligands, metal precursors, initiators, monomers, solvents, etc.)
are combined in different ratios. A reaction of interest is
performed under varying conditions to create a product array. This
embodiment focuses on combinatorializing the conditions of the
reaction of interest. Process conditions that may be
combinatorialized include amounts (volume, moles or mass) and
ratios of starting components, time for reaction, reaction
temperature, reaction pressure, rate of starting component addition
to the reaction, residence time (or product removal rate), reaction
atmosphere, reaction stir rate and other conditions that those of
skill in the art will recognize. The library that is created in
this embodiment is a product library that is then screened for a
property or compound of interest. Optionally, prior to screening,
the product library is daughtered into one or more daughter product
libraries.
[0012] In addition, the two above embodiments can be combined
together. For example, this invention may be practiced in order to
discover a polymer of interest by free radical polymerization
(e.g., a polymer having predetermined properties, such as molecular
weight or particle size). The library of polymers (e.g., a product
library) may be created by having diversity in the starting
components used or by having diversity the reactions conditions
(e.g., time, temperature, mixing speed, etc.). The polymer library
is then tested to determine if a polymer of interest has been
created using one of many different rapid polymer characterization
techniques. Thus, in this example, the screen may be the reaction,
the polymer characterization or both.
[0013] The embodiments of this methodology are combined into a
flexible system that includes a number of different stations
including one or more stations for combining starting materials,
daughtering the libraries, performing the reactions of interest and
screening the results of the process. The system includes a control
system that controls, monitors and directs the activities of the
system so that a user may design an entire series of experiments by
inputting library design, screening or data manipulation
criteria.
[0014] Those of skill in the art will appreciate the variety of
methods for creating diversity in the libraries of this invention.
The screens that are provided to determine if the diversity has
produced a product of interest complete the research and
development methodology.
[0015] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the
present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining
portions of the specification and the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a generic ligand having a scaffold and
structural diversity and a ligand library, respectively.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a flowchart depicting an overall method for one
embodiment of the invention.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a cut-away perspective illustration of a glass
lined parallel batch reactor useful in this invention.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustration of rapid molecular
weight light scattering characterization equipment that was used in
the Example.
[0020] FIG. 5 is block diagram illustration of an overall method
and apparatus of this invention.
[0021] FIG. 6 includes FIGS. 6A-6C and shows details of a library
storage rack and plate system useful in this invention.
[0022] FIG. 7 is a partial view of one embodiment of the apparatus
of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] There are two principal features to this invention: (1)
creating a library having diversity and (2) screening that library
for a property or compound of interest. A library in this invention
has either chemical diversity or process diversity. Chemical
diversity refers to a library having members that vary in atoms or
molecules. Process diversity refers to a library having members
that may have begun with the same atoms or molecules, but with
members that have been subjected to different processing conditions
and are different as a result of those different processing
conditions. Different processing conditions include varying amounts
(volume, moles or mass) and ratios of starting components, time for
reaction, reaction temperature, reaction pressure, rate of starting
component addition to the reaction, residence time (or product
removal rate), reaction atmosphere, mixing or stir rate and other
conditions that those of skill in the art will recognize. It is
through the creation of libraries having diversity and the
screening of that diversity for a property or compound of interest
that a complete combinatorial research and development program may
be undertaken for homogeneous catalysis or supported homogeneous
catalysis or initiated polymerization reactions.
[0024] In one embodiment, this invention is directed to rapid
creation and testing of novel catalysts, but offers significant
advantages over conventional experimental methods and systems. For
example, the present invention allows for automated parallel
catalyst creation and screening of multiple synthetic routes to
targeted catalysts, thereby saving time and conserving valuable
reactants in determining appropriate catalysts for catalyzing a
pre-selected reaction. This invention also provides a variety of
screening options, allowing for flexibility in choosing the
appropriate reaction flow and conditions for a reaction of
interest.
[0025] For example, if a coordination polymerization reaction is
the reaction of interest, this invention provides the method and
apparatus for the synthesis of organometallic complex libraries by
a variety of routes that may be catalysts. Optional activation of
those organometallic complexes into catalysts is included. After
the catalyst libraries are prepared the invention provides for
screening of the catalyst libraries. Screening may be in, for
example, a parallel polymerization reactor that provides detailed
information about catalytic activity under a variety of reaction
options and conditions, including monomer and comonomer choice,
solvent, pressure, temperature, stirring rate, volume,
stoichiometric relationships and order of addition of chemicals.
Thus, one may chose to "combinatorialize" the polymerization
reaction conditions for a single catalyst library. Optional steps
in this example coordination polymerization combinatorial process
include a primary screen prior to screening in the parallel
polymerization reactor. A primary screen may, for example, comprise
an optical screen under polymerization conditions that simply
determines which members of the catalyst library have any activity.
Another optional step is to further characterize the resultant
polymers formed in the parallel polymerization reactor. Such
further screening may employ a rapid liquid chromatography and/or
light scattering system, such as those described in U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/080,652, filed Apr. 3, 1998, which
is incorporated herein by reference. Such a further screen may also
determine the physical or melt flow properties of the resultant
polymers, such as with a sensor-array based system such as is
disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/210,485, filed
Dec. 11, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0026] Thus, the flexibility of this invention can be seen by those
of skill in the art from the variety of options that a complete
system offers, including choosing starting components (e.g.,
ligands and metal precursors), choosing reaction or coordination
routes for the creation of catalyst libraries, choosing screening
reactors and reaction conditions and choosing characterization
methods and apparatus.
[0027] In other embodiments, this invention discloses methods for
rapidly forming polymer product libraries from at least an
initiator and a monomer. A variety of monomers and initiators can
be chosen, along with other polymerization additives, such as
solvents, co-initiators, modifiers, surfactants, etc. Those of
skill in the art know of such additives. A parallel reactor is used
for the reaction and the parallel reactor may have internal sensing
capabilities providing real time property characterization for
certain properties, such as viscosity. The parallel reactor may
also provide the ability to vary reaction conditions from one
reactor vessel to another so that the polymerization conditions may
be combinatorialized. The polymer libraries may then be further
characterized using rapid polymer characterization techniques. Thus
again, the flexibility of this invention can be seen by those of
skill in the art from the variety of options that a complete system
offers, including choosing initiators, choosing monomers, choosing
methods and conditions of reaction for the creation of polymer
libraries, and choosing characterization methods and apparatus. In
this manner a complete combinatorial polymer discovery or
optimization research and development program may be
undertaken.
[0028] As discussed herein there are three fundamental types of
libraries: a ligand library, a catalyst library and a product
library. The three types of libraries may or may not be used in the
same embodiment of the invention.
[0029] A ligand library is a library comprised of member ligands.
Typically, a ligand library has chemical diversity. As used herein,
chemical diversity within the ligand library is divided up between
a variety of scaffolds and structural diversity elements. Referring
to FIG. 1A, member ligands 100 of the ligand library 10 include a
scaffold 120, which those of skill in the art may also refer to as
a backbone. There is at least one scaffold in a parent ligand
library. However, there may be 2, 3, 4, 5 or more different
scaffolds in a ligand library. The number of scaffolds will depend
on how the library was formed or how the library was stored. If,
for example, ligands from different ligand synthesis procedures
were stored together as a single library, the ligand library will
be the result of this combination and any number of desired ligand
scaffolds may be included in the ligand library.
[0030] Also, there is a plurality of different ligands in a ligand
library. Thus, if there is one scaffold there are typically at
least four or five different structural diversity elements off of
the scaffold. Referring to FIG. 1A, the structural diversity
elements 140 are shown as R groups. The member ligands in the
ligand library are typically stored or provided in a spatially
addressable format, meaning that each ligand is separated from the
others. However, pooled ligand libraries may also be used if
catalytic activity can be separated to determine which catalyst
caused certain observed activity, such as with a tagging or coding
technique. See, e.g., U.S. application Ser. No. 09/033,207, filed
Mar. 2, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0031] Thus, the ligand library 10, shown in FIG. 1B, may include
ligand members having one scaffold in different columns, B1, B2,
etc. along the B direction and may have differing structural
diversity in different rows A1, A2, etc. along the A direction. In
one embodiment of the present invention, the ligand library 10 is
made up of a plurality of member ligands 100 that have a common
scaffold with each member ligand being structurally diverse, as
represented by the different positioning of R-groups 140 on
scaffold 120 in FIG. 1A. In that embodiment, using the
representation in FIG. 1B, only one column, e.g., B11, would be
present in the patent library. In another embodiment, the ligand
library is made up of member ligands having different scaffolds,
wherein the ligand members in a scaffold group are structurally
diverse, meaning B1, B2, B3, etc. are present in the ligand
library. Of course, the ligand library may also include standards,
blanks, controls or other members that are present for other
reasons. Also, the ligand library may have two or more members that
are identical as a redundancy option or when reaction conditions
are to be combinatorialized. The member ligands of the ligand
library are preferably solids so that the ligand library may be
easily stored, however, the ligand libraries may also be stored in
solution. When a solid phase stored ligand library is going to be
used to create catalyst libraries, the solid member ligands may be
dissolved in a suitable solvent.
[0032] There are many possible example ligand libraries. Several
ligand libraries have been described in detail in copending,
commonly assigned U.S. patent applications, including U.S.
application Ser. No. 09/037,162, filed Mar. 9, 1998; U.S.
application Ser. No. 09/119,318, filed Jul. 20, 1998; U.S.
application Ser. No. 09/062,128, filed Apr. 17, 1998; U.S.
application Ser. No. 09/168,772, filed Oct. 8, 1998; and U.S.
application Ser. No. 09/146,206, filed Sep. 2, 1998. Each of these
applications is incorporated herein by reference for all
purposes.
[0033] The ligand library may be created by combinatorial chemistry
methods similar to those that are described in co-pending U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 08/327,513 "The Combinatorial Synthesis
of Novel Materials" (published as WO 96/11878) and co-pending U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 08/898,715 "Combinatorial Synthesis and
Analysis of Organometallic Compounds and Catalysts" (published as
WO 98/03251), which are both herein incorporated by reference.
Others have disclosed methods for preparing enormous libraries of
ligands. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,143,854, 5,424,186 and
5,288,514 and WO 92/10092, each of which are incorporated herein by
reference. The method of synthesis of a parent ligand library is
not critical to this invention. Indeed in some embodiments, ligand
libraries may be purchased. One or more ligand libraries may be
stored and retrieved from a storage rack for transfer to either the
daughtering station or a diluting station or a dissolution station,
as discussed below. Such retrieval and transfer to another station
may be automated using known automation techniques, such as those
disclosed in WO 98/40159, incorporated herein by reference. Robotic
apparatus is commercially available, for example from Cavro, Tecan,
Robbins, Labman, Bohdan or Packard, which are companies that those
of skill in the art will recognize.
[0034] One option for the creation of the ligand library is shown
in FIG. 2. Ligand precursors 20 are formed into a parent ligand
library 10. The parent ligand library 10 is initially tested at a
preliminary testing station 30 to determine if the desired ligand
members have been synthesized successfully. There may be bulk
manufacturing 40 and bulk storage 50 of the parent ligand library,
so that each member is made in greater quantities and optionally
stored for future multiple testing of the same parent library
ligand members in different reactions of interest or under
different reactions conditions or for combining with different
metal precursors or activators or modifiers. In embodiments using
bulk manufacture and storage, the ligand members in the ligand
library may be in solid form. The solid ligand members are
typically dissolved or diluted in a suitable solvent in a
dissolution or dilution step 60 to provide the parent ligand
library 10 with member ligands 100 in a liquid form at point 70 in
FIG. 2. Dilution or dissolution may be manual or automatic, such as
with known liquid handling robots. Other processing conditions of
dissolution or dilution may also be controlled, such as using a
glove box for an inert atmosphere during dilution or dissolution.
The temperature of the operation may also be controlled by
providing a heating/cooling block, such as that disclosed in
commonly assigned U.S. application Ser. No. ______, filed Nov. 19,
1998 (having attorney docket no. 65304-014) and incorporated herein
by reference. In other embodiments, the ligand library is provided
in a liquid form, for example with each ligand stored in a separate
vial. In those embodiments, the parent ligand members may be stored
in a vial having a septum that can be penetrated by a needle that
may be on a robotic arm of known liquid handling robots.
Optionally, as shown in FIG. 2 also, the bulk steps or storage can
be eliminated so that the parent ligand library 10 goes directly
from synthesis to point 70 in FIG. 2.
[0035] The next type of library is a catalyst library, which is a
collection of potentially catalytic compounds or compositions. The
members are potentially catalytic depending on the reaction of
interest, i.e., a member may be active in one reaction of interest,
but inactive in a different reaction of interest. The catalyst
library is formed from the combination of ligands and metals. The
catalyst library may be formed from the combination of a ligand
library and a metal precursor. In other embodiments, the catalyst
library is formed from the combination of a metal precursor library
and a ligand. For example, combining comprises adding at least one
ligand member from the ligand library to at least one metal
precursor. More typically, at least four ligand members, at least
10 ligand members, at least 25 ligand members, at least 50 ligand
members or at least 96 ligand members are provided that are each
combined with at least one metal precursor. Also for example,
combining comprises adding at least one metal precursor member from
a metal precursor library to at least one ligand.
[0036] There are a number of methods for combining metal precursors
with the ligand members of the library. In some embodiments, the
same metal precursor is added to the ligand members (whether the
members have different scaffolds or not) or different metal
precursors are added to different ligand library members. In other
embodiments, a different metal precursor is combined with each
member ligand having a different scaffold such that the number of
different metal precursors is equal to the number of different
scaffolds. In still other embodiment, different metal precursors
are added to ligand members having different structural diversity
elements. Combining different metal precursors with different
ligand library members provides the opportunity to try different
routes for the formation of the same or similar metal-ligand
complexes or compositions. In other embodiments, the ligand members
will be mixed with a suitable metal precursor prior to or
simultaneous with allowing the mixture to be contacted to the
reactants in the next library or testing phase of the invention.
When the ligand member is mixed with the metal precursor, a
metal-ligand complex may be formed, which may be a catalyst.
[0037] Metal precursors may take the form of a metal atom, ion,
compound or other metal precursor compound. In some embodiments,
the member ligands may be combined with a metal precursor and the
product of such combination is not determined, if a product forms
at all. For example, the ligand member may be added to a reaction
vessel at the same time as the metal or metal precursor compound
along with additional reactants in the reaction of interest. As
such, the result of the combination is not determined. The metal
precursors may be characterized by the general formula M(L)n where
M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Groups 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the Periodic Table of
Elements. Specific metals include Sc, Y, La, Ti, Zr, Hf, C, Nb, Ta,
Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Re, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au,
Zn, Cd, Al, In, Tl and Sn. L is a metal-ligand chosen from the
group consisting of halide, alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl,
substituted cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, substituted
heterocycloalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted
heteroaryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, hydroxy, boryl, silyl, hydrido, thio,
seleno, phosphino, amino, and combinations thereof. When L is
charged, L is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen,
halogens, alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted
cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, substituted
heterocycloalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted
heteroaryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, acetoxy, silyl, boryl, phosphino,
amino, thio, seleno, and combinations thereof. When L is neutral, L
is selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide,
isocyanide, dibenzylideneacetone, nitrous oxide, PA.sub.3,
NA.sub.3, OA.sub.2, SA.sub.2, SeA.sub.2, and combinations thereof,
wherein each A is independently selected from a group consisting of
alkyl, substituted alkyl, heteroalkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted
cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, substituted heterocycloalkyl, aryl,
substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, alkoxy,
aryloxy, silyl, and amino. The ligand to metal precursor ratio is
determined by the research program of interest, and for example may
be in the range of about 0.01:1 to about 100:1, or more
specifically in the range of about 0.5:1 to about 20:1.
[0038] Depending on the ligand library, it may be necessary to
additionally combine a ligand modifier 208 with member ligands 202
of the ligand libraries, as shown in FIG. 2. If there are different
ligand modifiers 208, they may be in a ligand modifier library 210
and may be added to the ligand libraries 200 at the same time as
the metal precursor(s) or prior to serve to produce modified ligand
libraries before combining the ligand members with the metal
precursors to achieve the desired target catalysts. The purpose of
a ligand modifier is to allow or assist the ligand to coordinate to
or bond with a metal atom, ion or precursor. The ligand modifier is
generally a deprotonation agent that modifies the ligand at the
position(s) where the ligand coordinates to or bonds with the metal
atom, ion or precursor. Ligand modifiers include deprotonating
agents such as alkyl lithium compounds (such as methyl lithium or
butyl lithium) and lithium diisopropyl amine. Those of skill in the
art know many ligand modifiers that are useful in this
invention.
[0039] Another option in forming the catalyst libraries is to
provide an activator. When there is more than one activator, the
activators may be provided in an activator library 214. The
activator or activating technique includes the use alumoxanes,
strong Lewis acids, compatible noninterfering activators and
combinations of the foregoing. The foregoing activators have been
taught for use with metal complexes in the following references,
which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety: U.S.
Pat. Nos. 5,599,761, 5,616,664, 5,453,410, 5,153,157, 5,064,802 and
EP-A-277,004.
[0040] There are a number of methods for combining the ligand
modifiers or activators with the ligand libraries and metal
precursors. In some embodiments, the same ligand modifiers or
activators are added to the members of the daughter library
(whether the members have different scaffolds or not) with the
metal precursor. Alternatively, different ligand modifiers or
activators are added to different ligand libraries. In other
embodiments, a different ligand modifier or activator is combined
with each member ligand in the ligand libraries having a different
scaffold such that the number of different ligand modifiers or
activators is equal to the number of different scaffolds for each
member ligand. In still other embodiment, different ligand
modifiers or activators are added to daughter library members
having different structural diversity elements. Combining different
ligand modifiers or activators with different ligand members
provides the opportunity to try different routes to the formation
of the same or similar catalyst libraries.
[0041] Thus, combining ligands, metal precursors, optionally ligand
modifiers and optionally activators (or activating techniques)
provides those of skill in the art powerful options for following
different chemical routes for the formation of the same or a
similar catalyst. The use of different chemical routes to the same
or similar catalyst in combinatorial materials science may minimize
the chances of missing an active catalyst for a reaction of
interest. One specific example of the use of different chemical
routes for formation of the same or similar polymerization
catalysts is in the field of cationic metallocene catalysts
stabilized by compatible anions (see e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,761
or 5,817,849, both of which are incorporated herein by reference).
One route to the formation of such catalysts is through the use of
ion exchange activators. A second route is through the use of Lewis
Acids. A third route is through the use of oxidative activators.
The result of each route is an active catalyst having substantially
the same structure, which produces substantially the same result
under similar polymerization conditions.
[0042] A third type of library is a product library. A product
library is the result of running a reaction of interest. Starting
components are added to a reactor and a reaction of interest is run
to form the product members of the product library. A product
library obtains its diversity either by chemical diversity in the
starting components or by process diversity or both and both types
of diversity are discussed above. Thus, a product library may be
the result of testing a catalyst library in a reaction of interest
run under the same or different process conditions. A product
library also may be the result of beginning with the same starting
components and testing those components under different processing
conditions. Specifically not within the scope of this invention is
the formation of product libraries having members that are
biological polymers, such as polymers made from alpha amino acids
and nucleotides. Examples of polymers that may be members of a
product library include homopolymers, copolymers or higher order
polymers like polyethylenes, polyurethanes, polyesters,
polycarbonates, polyacetates, polystyrenes, polyamides, and the
like.
[0043] Starting components for forming a product library are those
components needed for performing the reaction of interest.
Reactions of interest include those selected from the group
consisting of carbonylation, hydroformylation,
hydroxycarbonylation, hydrocarbonylation, hydroesterification,
hydrogenation, transfer hydrogenation, hydrosilylation,
hydroboration, hydroamination, epoxidation, aziridination,
reductive amination, aryl amination, polymerization,
oligomerization, C--H activation, insertion, C--H
activation-insertion, C--H activation-substitution, C-halogen
activation, C-halogen activation-insertion, C-halogen
activation-substitution, cyclopropanation, alkene metathesis, and
alkyne metatesis. Those of skill in the art know what starting
components are needed for each of these types of reactions.
[0044] Starting components include catalysts, ligands, metal
precursors, ligand modifiers and activators as discussed above.
Starting components also include monomers, solvents, initiators,
scavengers and surfactants/emulsifiers. Starting components that
are monomers that have at least one addition-polymerizable
unsaturated bond, including olefins, diolefins, allyl esters, vinyl
ethers, vinyl esters, vinyl heterocyclic compounds, stryrenes,
halogenated olefins, crotonic acids, vinyl ketones, itaconic acids
and esters, unsaturated nitriles, acrylic or methacrylic acids and
esters, acrylamides and methacrylamides and combinations thereof
(see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,763, incorporated herein by
reference). Example of solvents include polar and non-polar
solvents and ionic solvents and may include alkanes, heterocyclic
compounds, chlorinated compounds, water, and combinations thereof.
Surfactants may be cationic, anionic, zwitterionic or non-ionic,
including combinations thereof. Initiators may initiate a cationic,
anionic or free radical reaction, and include inorganic salts,
peroxy comounds and the like (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,047,
which is incorporated herein by reference). For example, for
coordination polymerization, the starting materials include
monomers, solvent, catalyst libraries (either activated or not) and
scavengers. Also for example, for a free radical polymerization,
the starting components comprise at least an initiator and a
monomer. Other starting components include co-initiator,
co-monomers, solvents, surfactants, emulsifiers or other additives.
In forming a product library, the starting materials may be varied
with respect to each other in terms of volume, moles or mass. In
varying the starting materials, the types of ratios that can be
varied include monomer to initiator; monomer A to monomer B;
solvent to monomer; surfactant to initiator; catalyst to activator;
and combinations thereof.
[0045] The product library has different members possibly as the
result of combinatorializing the process variables in the reaction
of interest. Process variables that may be combinatorialized
include the amounts (volume, moles or mass) and ratios of starting
components, time for reaction, reaction temperature, reaction
pressure, rate and/or method of starting component addition to the
reaction (or reactor), residence time (i.e., rate and/or method of
product removal from the reaction or reactor), reaction stir rate
and/or method, reaction kill rate and/or method, reaction
atmosphere and other conditions that those of skill in the art will
recognize. The product libraries are created using one of the
parallel reactors discussed below, including the parallel solution
reactor, the continuous feed reactor, the multi-temperature reactor
block, the parallel batch reactor or another parallel reactor that
may be known such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,923, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
[0046] Therefore, those of skill in the art will appreciate the
vast number of different possible combinations of ligands, metal
precursors, modifiers, activators or other starting components that
may be combined together to form the catalyst libraries. In
addition, this combination methodology may be combined with
combinatorializing of various reaction conditions, including
different starting component ratios, different temperatures,
solvents, pressures, mixing rates, times, order of addition of
chemicals or atmospheres to form vastly different product
libraries. For example a multiple temperature reactor block, such
as discussed below, may be used to provide different temperature
and pressure options. Also optionally, the combining of ligands
202, metal precursors 204, modifiers 208 or activators 212 may take
place in the reactor being used for the reaction of interest.
Combining may be done just before the reaction of interest or may
be done well before the reaction of interest.
[0047] In the methodology of this invention, a library is screened
for a property or compound of interest. Depending on the embodiment
being practiced, the screen may look for the existence of a
particular compound or for a particular property. For example, when
free radical polymerization is the reaction of interest, the screen
may look for molecular weight or particle size. Also for example,
when aryl amination is the reaction of interest, the screen may
look for the amine that the reaction is intended to form. The
screening may take place as the reaction of interest is being
performed. As used herein, "screening" refers to testing a library
for one or more properties or compounds or materials. Also as used
herein, "reaction" refers to a chemical transformation (e.g.,
amination or polymerization). A screen may be combined with a
reaction of interest, but the two may also be separate. For
example, polymerization reactions performed in stirred tank
parallel polymerization reactors are both a reaction and a screen
because a polymerization reaction is performed and catalyst
activity can be monitored by gas monomer uptake or by temperature
increase or by an in-reactor sensor or by lag in a stirrer,
providing testing of the properties of the catalyst or polymer.
Also for example, a polymerization reaction performed in a batch
reactor block would be considered to be only a reaction of interest
if there is no monitoring as the reaction is proceeding. Also for
example, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) or gas chromatography
(GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) are only screens because they
determine the results of the reaction of interest, which was
performed in a separate reactor.
[0048] Each of the three types of libraries may be stored in a
liquid or solid state and retrieved from storage for combining,
daughtering, running in the reaction of interest or screening or
combinations thereof. Libraries are preferably stored in a storage
rack that holds the libraries separately from each other. Libraries
may be retrieved from storage either manually or automatically,
using known automated robots. Specific robots useful for retrieving
such stored libraries include systems such as those marketed by
Aurora Biosciences or other known robotic vendors. If the libraries
are stored in the solid phase, the members typically require
dissolution, which is performed at a dissolution station, which may
be the combining station (discussed below) or may be in addition to
the combining station. A dilution station is a location where the
library members are dissolved in a suitable solvent for use in
either the reaction of interest or in a screen.
[0049] Also, each of these types of libraries may be daughtered
into one or more daughter ligand libraries, daughter catalyst
libraries or daughter product libraries, respectively. A daughter
library is created from the parent library at a daughtering station
by taking one or more aliquots from one or more members in the
parent library, wherein an aliquot is a definite fraction of a
whole. This process is referred to as "daughtering." Literally, a
liquid pipette, operated either manually or automatically (e.g.,
robotically), draws a bit of a member from the parent library and
dispenses that aliquot into another container to give a daughter
library member. A limited number of members of the parent library
may be daughtered or all the members may be daughtered at least
once to create one daughter library. Thus, a daughter library may
be smaller than the parent library in terms of either mass, volume
or moles and/or in terms of the number of members. In other
embodiments, the members of the parent library are maintained in a
solid form. During the daughtering process known solid handling
equipment and methods are used to take the aliquot from the parent
library to created the daughter library, which will have members
that are also solids. Thereafter, it may be necessary to dissolve
the members of the daughter libraries in a solvent. Daughtering is
performed in order to provide multiple libraries for multiple
reactions of interest or multiple screens without having to
recreate the parent library.
[0050] Optionally a filtering station is provided, which is
preferably a parallel filtering station. The filtering station is
useful to filter off solid phase agents or products from liquid
products or precursors. For example, in some embodiments the metal
precursors will be provided in solid-phase form, such as the solid
phase metal delivery agents disclosed in commonly assigned U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 09/025,841, filed Feb. 19, 1998,
incorporated herein by reference. The solid-phase metal precursors
allow for synthesis of the catalyst libraries in the solution phase
and then filtering off the solid-phase metal precursor. A filtering
station provides for ease in the synthesis of the catalyst
libraries or the ligand libraries. The ligands, metal precursors,
ligand modifiers or activators may be provided in the solid phase
(e.g., on a bead or other support) allowing for ease in ligand or
catalyst preparation. Solid phase combinatorial synthesis of
ligands is well known. See, e.g., Ellman et al., "Solid-Phase
Synthesis: Applications to Combinatorial Libraries", Annu. Rep.
Med. Chem., 1996, 31, pp. 309-318; Rees et al. "Solid-Phase Organic
Reactions: A review of the Recent Literature", Tetrahedron, Vo. 52,
No. 13, pp. 4527-4554, 1996; and Kaldor and Siegel, "Combinatorial
chemistry using polymer-supported reagents", Currents Opinion in
Chemical Biology, 1997, 1:101-106; each of which are incorporated
herein by reference. Solid phase agents or reagents in association
with combining generally allows for the use of excess agents or
reagents, ease of purification or work-up and automating the
process.
[0051] Reactions of interest may be performed in a parallel reactor
chamber or a parallel reactor block. Looking first at reactors that
also contain screening capabilities, parallel reactors that are
useful with this invention include a parallel solution reactor with
internal sensing as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/177,170, filed Oct. 22, 1998 and its improved version, U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 09/211,982, filed Dec. 14, 1998 (having
attorney docket no. 65304-059). This reactor includes internal
sensing and thus is also a screen. This parallel reactor allows for
the variation of several different processing conditions, and
therefore allows one to combinatorialize reaction conditions or
process variables. For example, a mechanical resonator (e.g., a
tuning fork) may be the sensor that detects product, compound,
reactant or reaction properties. In another embodiment the parallel
reactor may be a closed chamber with a tuning fork in the reactor,
as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/946,921, filed
Oct. 8, 1997, which is incorporated herein by reference (published
as WO 98/15501, which is also incorporated herein by
reference).
[0052] Another parallel reactor that also includes screening
capability is an optical screen, using infrared (IR) thermography
or Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy or visible light
or other optical viewing as disclosed in copending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 08/946,135, filed Oct. 7, 1997, (published as
WO 98/15815) or in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/947,085, and filed Oct. 8, 1997, (published as WO 98/15805).
These applications are incorporated herein by reference. Using an
optical technique typically entails inserting the starting
materials (e.g., catalyst library member with reactants or
initiator with monomer) in an array format into a chamber (for
example, a vacuum chamber or a chamber pressurized with reactant
monomer or a chamber pressurized with an inert gas). The reaction
of interest is performed in parallel in the chamber using a plate
having multiple wells for the catalyst members or starting
materials for the product members (such as a microtiter plate, for
example). The chamber has a window that is invisible to the optical
camera (e.g., calcium fluoride or saphire crystal for an IR
camera). As the reaction of interest is carried out, the optical
camera monitors the reaction with active catalyst or polymer
members meeting a specified property or characteristic.
Alternatively, for example, a dye may be inserted into the reactor
vessel array and the camera may monitor a color change. Also for
example, an IR camera may monitor heat of reaction for exothermic
reactions.
[0053] Another reactor/screen is related to thin layer
chromatography ("TLC"), as described more fully in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/149,586, filed Sep. 8, 1998, entitled
"Sampling and Analysis of Reactions by Trapping Reaction Components
on a Sorbent," incorporated herein by reference. In TLC screening,
a reactant is added to the members of the catalyst library, thereby
causing a reaction. A thin layer of sorbent is disposed on the
plate, so as to cover the wells containing the catalysts. Vapor
product resulting from the reactions then contacts the sorbent in
discrete areas (heating may be necessary). In some cases, visual
inspection is sufficient to determine active catalysts. But, a use
of a commercially available florescent indicator reagent may be
sprayed onto the sorbent, with the sorbent being exposed to
ultra-violent light. A charge-coupled device camera or spectrum
analyzer then captures intensity readings of the products on the
sorbent to indicate which particular catalysts are desirable for
those reactions.
[0054] Turning to reactors that do not include screening, other
parallel reactors useful in this invention include a
multi-temperature parallel reactor as disclosed in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. ______, filed Nov. 19, 1998 (having attorney
docket no. 65304-014) and a continuous feed parallel reactor as
disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/205,071, filed
Dec. 4, 1998 (having attorney docket no. 98-32). These applications
are incorporated herein by reference. These reactors typically
include the ability to combinatorialize certain process variables,
such as temperature, time, feed rate, mixing rate, etc. Of course,
the reactants, catalysts, initiators, etc. can also be modified or
combined in different amounts (different moles, volume or mass).
Another parallel reactor useful in this invention is a parallel
batch reactor. Such a reactor is shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows a
batch reactor 300 having a reactor block 302 with a plurality of
wells 304 for receiving a plurality of reactor vessels 306. To seal
the reactor vessels 304, a sheet 308 is placed over the top lip of
the plurality of reactor vessels 306 and a top plate 310 is
fastened to the reactor block 302. Fastening may be by bolts,
clips, clamps, wing nuts or other fastening methods known to those
of skill in the art. Bolts 312 are shown in FIG. 3 as the fastening
method and the bolts 312 are screwed into threads drilled into the
reactor block 302. Materials useful as the reactor block and top
plate include aluminum, steel or other metals, with aluminum being
preferred for its thermal transfer properties. The reactor vessels
306 may be plastic or glass, with glass being preferred. The sheet
308 is typically made from a material that is chemically resistant
to the reaction of interest taking place in the reactor vessels as
well as being elastic for its sealing properties. The sheet 308 may
be selected from the group consisting of Teflon.RTM.), silicone
rubber, Vitron.RTM., Kalrez.RTM. or equivalents. Parallel batch
reactors of this type are useful for the reactions of interest
discussed above, and may be heated. Mixing/stirring balls may be
added to the parallel batch reactor, which may then be placed on a
rocking or rotating plate fixed with a heating element for mixing
and heating the reaction contents. Alternatively, magnetic stirrers
may be placed in the vessels and the reactor block may be placed on
a heater/stirrer plate to afford agitation and heating. Known
liquid-handling robots may be used to dispense reactants, etc. into
the batch parallel reactors, but manual dispensing may also be
used.
[0055] Screens may be performed after the reaction of interest has
taken place. Such screens are typically for a property or a
chemical of interest. In addition to the screens discussed above,
screens include solid-phase staining, as disclosed in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/067,448, filed Apr. 27, 1998, which is
incorporated herein by reference. Solid-phase staining uses stains
to determine if a desired chemical transformation has taken place
by either observing a color change or the lack of a color change in
a dye that is inserted into the reaction of interest. Parallel TLC
may also be used as a screen in this invention, as disclosed in
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/062,128, filed Apr. 17, 1998,
which is incorporated herein by reference. A depolarized light
scattering array may screen the reactions of interest in an
apparatus and method disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/174,986, filed Oct. 19, 1998, which is incorporated herein by
reference. Also, rapid thermal analysis, using a sensor array may
be used, as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/210,485, filed Dec. 11, 1998 (having attorney docket no
65304-039), which is incorporated herein by reference. Those of
skill in the art will recognize that NMR, GC/mass spectrometry, and
LC/mass spectrometry, which are commercially available, may also be
used for screening product libraries. Finally, rapid polymer
characterization techniques may be used, as discussed in U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 60/080,652, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
[0056] One method and system disclosed herein utilizes a parent
ligand library having a plurality of member ligands as an initial
starting point in generating one or more catalyst libraries. In
some embodiments, an important feature of the parent ligand library
is chemical diversity within the library. This invention will allow
such chemically diverse ligand species to be tested parallel. In
other embodiments, a single or few ligands will be used repeatedly
in a variety of reactions under a variety of conditions for
optimization of a reaction with a particular catalyst. With the
parent ligand library provided, the next step is optional and
entails forming one or more daughter libraries 200 from the parent
library 10, as shown in FIG. 2. Literally, a liquid pipette,
operated either manually or automatically (e.g., robotically),
draws a bit of liquid member ligand 100 from the ligand library 10
at point 70 and dispenses that aliquot into another container to
give a daughter library member ligand 202. Point 70 in FIG. 2 can
be considered a daughtering station. In accord with this invention,
a portion of the ligand library 10 may be daughtered at least once
to create one daughter library 200. Thus, creation of the one or
more daughter libraries 200 may be only for a portion of the ligand
library 10 member ligands 100. More typically, however, each member
of the ligand library is daughtered to one or more daughter
libraries 200, as is shown in FIG. 2. After the daughtering step,
the daughter libraries 200 may be dried or stored in a manner
similar to the parent ligand libraries. In other embodiments, the
member ligands 100 of the ligand library 10 are maintained in a
solid form. During the daughtering process known solid handling
equipment and methods are used to take the aliquot from the ligand
library to created the daughter library, which will have members
that are also solids. Thereafter, it may be necessary to dissolve
the member ligands 202 of the daughter libraries 200 in a solvent.
The daughtering process is optional because one may go directly
from ligand synthesis to catalyst formation; however, this has the
disadvantage of using the entire ligand library, meaning that the
member ligands in the ligand library must be re-synthesized for
experimentation beyond the first reaction or screening
experiment.
[0057] Once the daughter libraries are formed (or using the ligand
library), and continuing with FIG. 2, one or more metal precursors
204 are added to at least a portion of the members 202 of the
daughter libraries 200 to create one or more libraries of target
metal-ligand complexes, e.g., catalyst libraries 220. Combining may
take place at one or more daughtering stations or one or more
combining stations. Each of the components or members or libraries
to be combined is provided at the daughtering or combining station
and known robotic techniques may be used to transfer such
components to the daughtering or combining station. Another option
shown in FIG. 2 is to create daughter catalyst libraries 222 from
the catalyst library 220 by taking one or more aliquot from the
catalyst library. This may be done at a daughtering station after
at least the metal precursors and ligands have been combined, with
or without ligand modifiers or activators. This catalyst
daughtering option may also be used when different activating
options are being researched for the same ligand metal precursor
combinations. Additionally, this option may be desirable when the
same catalyst library will be tested for different reactions of
interest or when the same catalyst library will undergo the same
reaction of interest at different reaction conditions, such as with
an optimization research and development program.
[0058] Once the catalyst libraries 220 or daughter catalyst
libraries 222 are prepared, the members 221,223 are subjected to a
reaction of interest at either a reactor station or a screening
station. Reactions of interest may be performed in parallel or in a
serial fashion. Different reactions of interest may be performed on
daughter catalyst libraries or catalyst libraries. Referring again
to FIG. 2, the catalyst library 220 may follow path X and be
daughtered as discussed above into daughter catalyst libraries 222.
Path X shows a research path including either (1) reaction with
screening or (2) reaction and subsequent screening. Each catalyst
library 220,222 is tested in a reaction of interest at a reaction
station 80 to create one or more product libraries 224. In parallel
or serial fashion, the reactants are added to the reactor with the
catalyst members and the reaction is performed under predetermined
conditions. If a reactor is chosen with sensing capabilities, then
screening may take place during the reaction. After the reaction,
the results may be tested in post reaction screening 90 for a
property or a compound or a material. For example, if a small
molecule transformation, such as aryl amination, is the reaction of
interest then staining may be used to determine if the
transformation has occurred by choosing a stain appropriate for the
product or reactant.
[0059] Path Y in FIG. 2 shows a research path having multiple
reactions and screens. The catalyst library 220 is daughtered into
daughter catalyst libraries 222 with the daughter libraries each
being screened in a primary screen 110. A primary screen is one
that runs the reaction of interest, and provides sufficient data to
determine at least whether a catalyst member was active in the
reaction of interest or whether a product of interest was formed in
the reaction. A primary screen may be one where the catalysts or
products are not separated from each other, but subjected together
to the reaction of interest in a parallel optical screen. For
example, if the reaction of interest is the polymerization of
ethylene, the primary screen may be a chamber that allows ethylene
to contact all catalyst library members simultaneously. The active
catalysts may be identified from the inactive or less active
catalyst by encoding the catalyst members of the catalyst library,
as disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/033,207, filed Mar. 2, 1998, which is incorporated herein by
reference. The primary screen may be an infrared screen that
identifies active catalysts by heat of reaction, such as disclosed
in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/946,135, filed
Oct. 7, 1997, which is incorporated herein by reference (published
as WO 98/15815, which is also incorporated herein by reference).
The primary screen may be another optical technique to determine if
a product has been made; for example, if the reaction of interest
is an emulsion polymerization, the optical screen may determine if
an emulsion was created. Useful optical techniques are disclosed in
copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/947,085, and filed
Oct. 8, 1997, which is incorporated herein by reference (published
as WO 98/15805, which is also incorporated herein by reference).
Another possible primary screen is a parallel thin layer
chromatography system, as disclosed in 09/062,128, filed Apr. 17,
1998 and incorporated herein by reference. Other primary screens
may be known or developed by those of skill in the art for specific
reactions of interest.
[0060] Any screen may be a primary screen, however, the object of
having a primary screen is to eliminate some of the members 221,
223 of the catalyst libraries or daughter catalyst libraries from
further, more detailed testing. Since an enormous number of ligands
and metal precursors are typically being combined in different
routes, it may be that one route is not applicable for a particular
metal precursor/ligand combination. A primary screen would
eliminate such an inapplicable route at a lower cost than a screen
that provides more detailed information. As such primary screens
are designed to quickly, effectively and/or efficiently reduce the
number of catalyst members that are screened for detailed
information (such as conversion and selectivity or polymer particle
size).
[0061] Path Y also shows that after the primary screen 110, members
of catalyst or product libraries 220,222, 224 that pass the primary
screen are sent to a secondary screen 112. The secondary screen
runs the same reaction of interest under conditions that supply
more data than the primary screen. Any of the screens discussed
above may be a primary or secondary screen. Another feature of FIG.
2 is a feedback loop 95 that provides information for the synthesis
of new parent libraries or new daughtering. The information comes
from a post reaction screen 90, a reaction that includes a screen
80, a primary screen 110 or a secondary screen 112. For example,
the information sent in the feedback loop 95 may be catalyst
activity, compound existence or disappearance, polymer properties
or any other information that comes from the screens that are
performed. This feedback loop may be such as disclosed in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 5,563,564, herein incorporated by reference.
[0062] It will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art
that the foregoing reaction and/or screening methods are intended
to illustrate, and not restrict the ways in which the catalyst or
product libraries can be screened for useful properties for a
reaction of interest. Other screening techniques and apparatuses
known to those having skill in the art may similarly be
employed.
[0063] An apparatus or system 500 for researching for novel
ligands, catalysts or products is illustrated in FIG. 5. System 500
includes a parent library 502, a combining station 503, a
daughtering station 504 (to create one or more daughter libraries
506), optionally a filtering station 508, a reaction station 510, a
screening station 511 and an automated robotic system, represented
by arrows 512 to move libraries from one station to another. As
used herein a "station" is a location in the apparatus that
performs one or more functions. The functions may be combining the
starting components, combining ligands with metal atoms, ions or
precursors, creating a product library via a reaction, screening or
any of the other functions discussed above. Thus, the station may
comprise a liquid handling robot with pumps and computers (as known
in the art) to dispense, dissolve, mix and/or move liquids from one
container to another. The station may include any of the reactors
discussed above, and may be in an inert atmosphere glove box. A
location in the apparatus may perform multiple functions, but for
purposes of discussing the methodology in block diagram form, each
location or station herein will be referred to as a separate
station.
[0064] Basically, starting components or parent ligand libraries or
metal precursors, etc. are inputted into the apparatus (or
retrieved from storage) and sent to a combining station 503. After
combination, the product library is formed via reaction at the
reaction station 510. If screening does not occur during the
reaction, the product library is sent to the screening station 511
for screening as discussed above. A daughtering station 504 can be
inserted into the process to create daughter libraries 506. As
discussed above, when ligands are being combined with metal
precursors, this takes place at the combining station. Finally, a
filtering station 508 may be used when solid phase agents are used
in the process.
[0065] FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram flow for a methodology
useful in this invention. Starting components or parent libraries
may be maintained in storage and retrieved from storage and moved
via the handling system 512 to the combining station 503. Optional
in this process is the daughtering of the parent library at the
daughtering station 504. Multiple paths are shown from the
daughtering station 504 to the combining station 503 to show the
possibility that multiple daughter libraries are transferred to the
combining station 503. The combining station combines the starting
components together in a predefined manner, using the components,
ratios, etc. as discussed above. Typically, exiting the combining
station 503 is either a catalyst library or a combination of
components for turning into a product library. One option is for
the results of the combination to go to a filtering station 508.
Since filtering removes unwanted materials from the library
(typically from the catalyst library), it may be desirable to
daughter the library after filtering, which is accomplished at a
daughtering station 504 between the filtering station 508 and the
reaction station 510. The catalyst library or combination of
starting components proceeds to a reaction station 510, where the
product library is formed. In other words, the reaction of interest
is run at the reaction station 510. Process diversity is
accomplished at the reaction station 510 using the reaction options
discussed above. From the reaction station 510, the product library
proceeds to the screening station 511, where a predetermined screen
is run to determine if the reaction of interest was successful
and/or the qualitative or quantitative degree of success of the
reaction of interest. The screening station may include a single
screen or multiple screens (such as a primary and secondary screen)
and may entail using multiple locations for the multiple screens. A
feed-back loop 95 is provided that takes screening information from
either the reaction station 510 (when a reaction that includes a
screen is used) or the screening station 511. This screening
information is used at the combining station 503 for new
combinations of starting components or creating new catalyst
libraries, etc. The feed-back loop 95 may also feed screening
information to the starting components or parent libraries or the
storage location for new product libraries to be created for making
a product of interest.
[0066] The system 500 includes a computer or processor based system
514 that controls, monitors and/or coordinates the process steps as
well as interaction between the various stations 503, 504, 508, 510
and 511. The "control" system also coordinates the movement of
plates (parent or daughter) moving in the robotic system 512. The
"control" system 514 also includes computers, processors and/or
software that a user (e.g., chemist) may use to interact with the
system 500. Ideally, the control system 514 contains sufficient
hardware and software so that it is "user-friendly", for example so
that the amount of input by the user is limited to the essential
design and process elements. The control system 514 can comprise a
central computer or processor to command, control and monitor each
subsystem or station or piece of the system 500. Alternatively, the
control system 514 can comprise an integrated architecture with one
or more of the subsystems, stations or pieces is a smart system of
its own right. Thus, a user of the "control" system 514 may design
a set of experiments to create a product library, specify the
screen of that product library and command the system to perform
all the chemistry and screening automatically from chemicals in
storage.
[0067] For example, the "control" system 514 may command
transportation of a library plate from storage to a combining
station giving instructions to the combining station that specify
the types and volumes of chemicals to dispense. Another similar
example is where similar instructions are used with a daughtering
station. The "control" system 514 may also control the robotics 512
to move chemicals to the various stations 503, 504, 508, 510 and
511. As a further example, the "control" system 514 may monitor and
control the time that a plate remains at a station or the time that
a reaction of interest is allowed to run, such as by instructing a
robot to add a catalyst kill to reactor vessels at various times.
Still further, the "control" system may monitor and control a
screen, such as by moving a product library to the screening
station and instructing an auto-sampling robot to sample the
product library with particular solvents for injection and into a
molecular weight screen. Additionally, the "control" system 514 may
collect, manipulate and/or store screening data. For example, the
"control" system 514 may take data from a screen, reduce that data
and then send the data for storage to a database. The "control"
system 514 can also monitor the system 500 for safety, problems or
other process issues. The "control" system may also include the
feed-back loop 95, discussed elsewhere.
[0068] For example, robotic system 512 preferably includes an
automated conveyer, robotic arm or other suitable device that is
connected to the "control" system 514 that is programmed to deliver
the library plate 502 or daughter plates 506 to respective stations
503, 504, 508, 510, 511. The processor is programmed with the
operating parameter using a software interface. Typical operating
parameters include the coordinates of each of stations 503, 504,
508, 510, 511 in the system 500 as well as both the library storage
plate and daughter plates positioning locations at each station.
Other data, such as the initial compositions of each ligand
modifier, metal precursor, activator and the initial compositions
of the ligands may also be programmed into the system.
[0069] In some embodiments, a library is stored in a storage plate
502, as more clearly seen in FIG. 6B. The library storage plate 502
includes a number of wells 604 formed therein that receive vials
606 containing the library members, as shown in FIG. 6C. Each vial
606 may be provided with a cap 608 having a septum 610 for
protecting the members when being stored. An optional lid 612
having latches 614 shown in FIG. 6B for connecting to the storage
plate 502 may also be provided for storage purposes. FIG. 6A also
shows that the library plate 502 may be stored in a rack 620 prior
to transfer to the next station, such as a combining station 503 or
daughtering station 504.
[0070] In a preferred embodiment, referring to FIG. 7, a combining
station 503 or a daughtering station 504 includes a daughtering
robotic arm 702 that carries a movable probe 704 and a turntable
706 for holding multiple daughter plates 506 while the daughtering
step is being performed. Daughtering robotic arm 702 is movable.
The robotic system 512 manipulates the probe 704 using a 3-axis
translation system. The probe 704 is movable between vials of
ligand modifiers, metal precursors, and activators arranged
adjacent the synthesis station and plate.
[0071] Once the product libraries are created, the robotic handling
system 512 next transports plates to a screening station 511. As
this system may be configured to perform multiple screening steps
using multiple screening techniques, and there may be more than one
screening station. It is preferred that plates containing the
libraries each are each receivable in a reactor blocks for the
screening operation. Indeed, the plates may be the reactor block
that is moved from one station to the next. As disclosed in the
copending applications, in one embodiment, the reaction block
generally contains heating elements and temperature sensing
devices--thermocouples, thermistors, RTD's and other similar
devices--that communication with a processor. The heating elements,
temperature sensing devices, and the processor comprise a
temperature control system that maintains the temperature of each
of the catalyst library members at a pre-selected temperature
during the reaction such that the catalysts may be analyzed as a
function of temperature.
EXAMPLE
[0072] This an example of rapid light scattering screening of a
combinatorial library that was prepared by controlled radical
polymerization.
[0073] In a dry, nitrogen atmosphere glovebox stock solutions were
prepared using ligand L-1 having the structure shown below: 1
[0074] L-1 was synthesized from reductive coupling of
4-(5-nonyl)pyridine using Pd/C catalyst at 200.degree. C.
[0075] 1-chloro-1-phenylethane (hereinafter "I-1") was synthesized
by treatment of styrene with HCl and purified by distillation. I-2
was synthesized by reaction of commerially available divinylbenzene
with HCl, followed by purification by distillation. I-2 had the
following structure: 2
[0076] All other materials were commercially available and were
purified using conventional techniques.
[0077] Five stock solutions were prepared in a dry nitrogen
atmosphere glovebox (I, II, I, IV, and V), as follows: Solution I
comprised 19.8 mg (0.141 mmol) of 1-chloro-1-phenylethane (I-1) and
800 .mu.L (6.98 mmol) of styrene. Solution II comprised 20 mg (0.2
mmol) CuCl, 174 mg of L-1 (0.42 mmol), and 3.33 mL (29.1 mmol) of
styrene. Solution III comprised 14.2 mg of I-2 (0.07 mmol) and 800
.mu.L (6.98 mmol) styrene. Solution IV comprised 14.7 mg (0.105
mmol) of I-1, 10.4 mg (0.105 mmol) CuCl, 90 mg (0.022 mmol) of L-1,
and 6 mL (52.4 mmol) of styrene. Solution V comprised 10.7 mg
(0.0525 mmol) of I-2, 10.4 mg (0.105 mmol) CuCl, 90 mg (0.022 mmol)
of L-1, and 6 mL (52.4 mmol) of styrene.
[0078] A 7-row by 12-column 84-vessel glass-lined aluminum reactor
block array with approximately 800 .mu.L volume per vessel was
prepared in a drybox under dry nitrogen atmosphere and stock
solutions I-V were manually distributed to the vessels using a
metering pipettor, such that elements 1-5 received a gradient of
Solution I (100 .mu.L, 50 .mu.L, 33.3 .mu.L, 25 .mu.L, and 20
.mu.L), 100 .mu.L of Solution II, and a gradient of excess styrene
(0 .mu.L, 50 .mu.L, 66.7 .mu.L, 75 .mu.L, 80 .mu.L). Elements 6-10
received a gradient of Solution III (100 .mu.L, 50 .mu.L, 33.3
.mu.L, 25 .mu.L, and 20 .mu.L), 100 .mu.L of Solution II, and a
gradient of excess styrene (0 .mu.L, 50 .mu.L, 66.7 .mu.L, 75
.mu.L, 80 .mu.L). Elements 11-15 received a gradient of Solution I
(100 .mu.L, 50 .mu.L, 33.3 .mu.L, 25 .mu.L, and 20 .mu.L), 100
.mu.L of Solution II, a gradient of excess styrene (0 .mu.L, 50
.mu.L, 66.7 .mu.L, 75 .mu.L, 80 .mu.L), and 200 .mu.L of
diphenylether. Elements 16-20 received a gradient of Solution III
(100 .mu.L, 50 .mu.L, 33.3 .mu.L, 25 .mu.L, and 20 .mu.L), 100
.mu.L of Solution II, a gradient of excess styrene (0 .mu.L, 50
.mu.L, 66.7 .mu.L, 75 .mu.L, 80 .mu.L), and 200 .mu.L of
diphenylether. Elements 21-50 (a 5.times.6 array) received 150
.mu.L of Solution IV and a gradient of dilutions along each row by
adding solvent (75 .mu.L, 150 .mu.L, 225 .mu.L, 300 .mu.L, 375
.mu.L, 450 .mu.L) with a different solvent in each row (diethyl
carbonate, benzene, o-dichlorobenzene, m-dimethoxybenzene, and
diphenylether, respectively). Similarly, elements 51-80 (a
5.times.6 array) received 150 .mu.L of Solution V and a gradient of
dilutions along each row by adding solvent (75 .mu.L, 150 .mu.L,
225 .mu.L, 300 .mu.L, 375 .mu.L, 450 .mu.L) with a different
solvent in each row (diethyl carbonate, benzene, o-dichlorobenzene,
m-dimethoxybenzene, and diphenylether, respectively). In this
fashion an array of 7.times.12 diverse polymerization reactions
were prepared, requiring a setup time of approximately 5 hrs. The
reactor block array was sealed using a Teflon membrane covering a
silicon rubber sheet compressed with an aluminum plate bolted in
place.
[0079] The reactor block array was then heated to 120.degree. C.
for 15 hrs with agitation provided by an orbital shaker. The
reactor block array was allowed to cool, and to each vessel was
added THF such that the total volume reached 0.8 mL, and the block
was re-sealed and heated at 105.degree. C. with orbital shaking for
approximately 1 hr, to allow formation of homogeneous fluid
solutions. The reactor block was then allowed to cool.
[0080] Each element of the array was analyzed by rapid manner using
the following equipment and method:
[0081] FIG. 4 shows the general layout of the equipment including
an eight port valve 1210 and a filter 1212. A light scattering
detector 1216 and a RI detector 1218 were used. Samples were
injected into the 8-port valve, having two 50-.mu.l injection loops
and the system was maintained at a temperature of 36.degree. C. A
short chromatographic column 1214 (Polymer Laboratories, 1110-1520,
sold as a GPC guard column) was in-line between the filter 1212 and
the light-scattering cell 1216. Samples were manipulated with a
sampler 1200 automatically. The sampler 1200 had a tip 1201 that
obtained the polymer sample from the sample tray 1202. The sampler
1200 moved the tip 1201 into a loading port 1204 that sent the
sample through the transfer line 1206. The system was controlled by
a single computer 1222 that controlled the sampler 1200, loading of
the sample via the loading port 1204, as well as collecting data
from the light scattering detector 1216 and the RI detector
1218.
[0082] M.sub.w for each sample was calculated using an algorithm
incorporated in the analysis software ("Precision Analyze", version
0.99.031(Jun. 8, 1997), Precision Detectors) accompanying the
PD2020. In order to determine Mw, points in the chromatogram
representing the baselines of the 15 and 90 degree signals and the
RI signals were first selected ("baseline regions"). Linear
least-squares fits of these points defined the three baselines.
Then, an integration region encompassing the main sample peak was
chosen. The software then calculates M.sub.w based on the SLS and
RI data and baseline values in this integration region. The
calculation was performed in the limit of the radius of gyration,
R.sub.g, being much less than the measurement wavelength, and the
polymer concentration in the dilute limit representing isolated
molecules. This calculation also used the angular form-factor,
P(.theta.), appropriate for a Gaussian-coil molecule, and fitted it
to the SLS signals to extract M.sub.w. For polymers with Mw less
than about 10,000 kD, this method determined values of M.sub.w
within less than 5% of values calculated assuming non-Gaussian-coil
forms of P(.theta.).
[0083] R.sub.h is calculated from the diffusion constant of the
polymer molecules, which is obtained by fitting the photon-photon
correlation function to an exponential. The PD2020 system was
designed to allow for measurements of R.sub.h at each time-slice of
the chromatogram for sufficiently low flow rates.
[0084] Using a programmable robotic sampler, 20 .mu.L of each
reactor were drawn and dispensed along with 250 .mu.L of THF into a
polypropylene microtiter plate. 100 .mu.L of this diluted sample
was drawn and used to load a 50 .mu.L sample loop on an HPLC
injector, followed by rapid light scattering evaluation. During the
time of each analysis, the step of diluting the next sample was
conducted, so that each sample injection automatically occurred at
40 sec. intervals. Table 1, below, shows the average M.sub.w/1000
of the samples derived from the analysis.
1 TABLE 1 Col> Row 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 22.2 35.7 46.3
55.8 63.7 NR NR 25.9 47.6 57.3 72 78.2 2 8.65 15 22.3 26.6 30.4 NR
NR 11.2 19.8 33.1 40.1 42.9 3 28.9 20.2 16.6 12.6 12 11.9 44 34.3
29.8 20.9 17.6 16.4 4 38.9 29.6 26.1 24.1 24.2 22.9 56 51.7 45 38.7
30.9 27 5 47.8 34.8 23.6 18.6 15.4 14.1 59.9 48.3 33.7 25.2 22.6
18.3 6 40.6 28.6 15.3 12.9 12 13.1 45.8 20.8 17.7 12.3 13.3 13.8 7
40.3 30.2 23.2 20.9 19.5 19.2 46.8 37.4 34.2 29.7 28.6 27.8
[0085] The expected trends of decreasing molecular weight with
increasing dilution, and decreasing molecular weight with
decreasing monomer to initiator ratio were observed. This
demonstrates very rapid molecular weight determinations in
combinatorial discovery of optimal catalytic processes.
[0086] It is to be understood that the above description is
intended to illustrative and not restricted. Many embodiments will
be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the above
description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be
determined not with reference to the above description, but should
instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along
with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are
entitled. The disclosures of all articles and references, including
patent applications and publications, are incorporated herein by
reference for all purposes.
* * * * *