Presenter
Dean Thomas
Dean is a Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow and Team Leader in the Cronin Group, focussing on Digital Chemistry and chemical automation. He graduated from The University of Manchester in 2017, with a Masterās thesis focused on transition metal-free CāH functionalisation. He went on to pursue a PhD under the supervision of Professor David Leigh, completing his doctorate in 2021. His research focused on the design and operation of fuelled artificial molecular machines capable of performing macroscopic tasks. Following his PhD, Dean continued as a PDRA, working on autonomous molecular systems for nanoscopic logic gates and targeted cargo delivery. In 2022, he joined the Cronin Group at the University of Glasgow to lead innovation in autonomous synthesis platforms, with a particular focus on the safe handling of hazardous molecules and the acceleration of reaction discovery and optimisation.
Abstract:
The assembly of molecular nanomachines using atomically precise manipulations promises to enable nanotechnology with unprecedented architectural features and exquisite functional properties. However, this future is critically limited by the ability to autonomously manufacture nanomachines, with current efforts being heavily labour intensive. A system is needed to program and assemble matter under digital control, unifying molecular nanotechnology and macroscale chemical processes. Herein, we present a universal chemical robotic synthesis platform (Chemputer) that produces functional molecular machines. By integrating autonomous feedback through on-line NMR and liquid chromatography, a divergent four-step synthesis and purification of molecular rotaxane architectures are achieved. The synthetic sequence averaged 800 base steps over 60 h, affording products on an analytical scale for feasibility studies. While standardizing rotaxane synthesis enhances reliability and reproducibility, our workflow addresses two bottlenecks in autonomous synthesis: yield determination (via on-line 1H NMR) and product purification via multiple column chromatography techniques (silica gel and size exclusion).
