Background

The high reactivity of organolithium and Grignard reagents require specialised handling procedures, such as low temperatures and inert atmospheres. This introduces significant additional hazards and costs for industrial use and makes the use of these reagents challenging for non-specialist researchers.

Technology Overview

A novel method is used to create an organometallic gel reagent that is highly stable and simple to handle. The method is straightforward to implement, requiring only standard chemical processing equipment and cheap, readily available precursors. The methodology is readily scalable (gram to tonne).

Benefits

The prospective product offers greater shelf life, ease of handling, reaction dosing, and health and safety improvements

Reduced costs through decreased storage, longer shelf life and lower health and safety burdens through simpler practices are also enabled.

Furthermore, additional value-adding elements of this new gel approach include:

Solvent compatibility with the gel-type material
Low loading levels of the stabilising agent
Consistent reagent loading throughout the gel

Applications

Development of organolithium gels would bring large advantages to non-specialist researchers who would normally be reticent in using organolithium reagents in their own synthetic chemistry. Gels are an ideal dosing form for kit-type chemistry, in which non-specialists can buy pre‑measured reagents within a gel cube and then simply add it to their reaction to achieve the desired result. All of this would be delivered without the need for special working procedure commonly used with organolithium chemistry and would broaden their potential scope and application, creating new markets.

Opportunity

Following a filed patent application, the team is seeking potential co-development and licence partners that can mutually exploit the commercial potential for this technology.

Organolithium and Grignard Reagent Gels

IP Status

Seeking